Terrorism in Southern Punjab
By Atif Khan
The Multan terrorist incident on Tuesday compounded the fears that Southern Punjab could be the next stronghold of the terrorists after their dens were washed away by the Pakistan army.
The Multan attack cannot be viewed in terms of death toll or as a mere part of the series of the terrorists attacks going on in the country from last many months but it have fueled the fears that terrorists are strengthening themselves in the most deprived area of the province Punjab.
Residents mostly depend on agriculture for living. The actual literacy rate is very low and people are mostly religious believing in religion Islam. Due to their illiteracy and inability to understand the core of the religion, it is easy for any intruder to gain the sympathy of the residents, by manipulating the religion.
From last many months, it has been reported that the growing importance of the Punjabi factor in local and international militancy has placed the army under pressure to extend its crackdown beyond the tribal belt.
Foreign newspapers have been giving coverage to stories depicting insurgency in the Southern Punjab. This all started after the terrorists belonging to Southern Punjab were found during Military operation in Swat, and later, Waziristan. Some terrorists who were involved in terrorists’ attacks in the country were also figured out to be residents of Southern Punjab. But the question is that the terrorists are from each part of the country, why only southern Punjab was highlighted? The answer is very simple that during Afghan war in 80’s, a large number of people from this area were recruited for the “Holy War”. (The war which was actually, initiated by a typical “State”, to gain its own secular reasons and supremacy, but another our state participated in it for its same reasons).
Reviewing the data of the recruiters, after 2001, the Americans realized that as large number of people recruited in afghan war, the people of the area have a soft corner for the Taliban and hence in future it could create problems for USA. To counter the fear that Southern Punjab was highlighted swiftly by the local journalists safeguarding the interests of USA, and the international media took their line.
Some analysts believe that the whole episode of hostile maneuvers by economically crunched USA was launched to obtain maximum resources. They are convinced that in near future USA is aiming to get hold of, Southern Punjab, which not only have rich and unexplored mineral treasures but also have huge reservoirs of Uranium in some parts.
There is also a strong argument that the terrorists after the Swat and Waziristan’s announced operations flee to the southern areas through natural routes via D.I. Khan and are now strengthening themselves there. But the answer to this argument is that southern Punjab is totally different from tribal areas. The writ of the government is all over the area and army is present throughout the area since 1987, after there were fears that India will attack Pakistan through Southern Punjab borders. Bahawlpur cantonment was developed and a corps was raised. Similarly huge numbers of troops are present in Multan. Likewise, in most of the areas of the Southern Punjab army is scattered all over the area. In presence of army and a proper Police System, which efficiently maintain writ of the government, how can terrorists flourish in the area? The reality is that apart from some religious organizations raised by some late rulers / military dictators to snub their opponents, there is no mass level extremist activity going on in Southern Punjab, how ever there are fears that in order to intensify the efforts to destabilize the country foreign element can take advantage of the situation by planting their agents and carrying out terrorists attacks as witnessed on Tuesday in Multan.
The Multan terrorist incident on Tuesday compounded the fears that Southern Punjab could be the next stronghold of the terrorists after their dens were washed away by the Pakistan army.
The Multan attack cannot be viewed in terms of death toll or as a mere part of the series of the terrorists attacks going on in the country from last many months but it have fueled the fears that terrorists are strengthening themselves in the most deprived area of the province Punjab.
Residents mostly depend on agriculture for living. The actual literacy rate is very low and people are mostly religious believing in religion Islam. Due to their illiteracy and inability to understand the core of the religion, it is easy for any intruder to gain the sympathy of the residents, by manipulating the religion.
From last many months, it has been reported that the growing importance of the Punjabi factor in local and international militancy has placed the army under pressure to extend its crackdown beyond the tribal belt.
Foreign newspapers have been giving coverage to stories depicting insurgency in the Southern Punjab. This all started after the terrorists belonging to Southern Punjab were found during Military operation in Swat, and later, Waziristan. Some terrorists who were involved in terrorists’ attacks in the country were also figured out to be residents of Southern Punjab. But the question is that the terrorists are from each part of the country, why only southern Punjab was highlighted? The answer is very simple that during Afghan war in 80’s, a large number of people from this area were recruited for the “Holy War”. (The war which was actually, initiated by a typical “State”, to gain its own secular reasons and supremacy, but another our state participated in it for its same reasons).
Reviewing the data of the recruiters, after 2001, the Americans realized that as large number of people recruited in afghan war, the people of the area have a soft corner for the Taliban and hence in future it could create problems for USA. To counter the fear that Southern Punjab was highlighted swiftly by the local journalists safeguarding the interests of USA, and the international media took their line.
Some analysts believe that the whole episode of hostile maneuvers by economically crunched USA was launched to obtain maximum resources. They are convinced that in near future USA is aiming to get hold of, Southern Punjab, which not only have rich and unexplored mineral treasures but also have huge reservoirs of Uranium in some parts.
There is also a strong argument that the terrorists after the Swat and Waziristan’s announced operations flee to the southern areas through natural routes via D.I. Khan and are now strengthening themselves there. But the answer to this argument is that southern Punjab is totally different from tribal areas. The writ of the government is all over the area and army is present throughout the area since 1987, after there were fears that India will attack Pakistan through Southern Punjab borders. Bahawlpur cantonment was developed and a corps was raised. Similarly huge numbers of troops are present in Multan. Likewise, in most of the areas of the Southern Punjab army is scattered all over the area. In presence of army and a proper Police System, which efficiently maintain writ of the government, how can terrorists flourish in the area? The reality is that apart from some religious organizations raised by some late rulers / military dictators to snub their opponents, there is no mass level extremist activity going on in Southern Punjab, how ever there are fears that in order to intensify the efforts to destabilize the country foreign element can take advantage of the situation by planting their agents and carrying out terrorists attacks as witnessed on Tuesday in Multan.
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