Amidst an ongoing terror resurgence across Pakistan, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has voiced appreciable clarity on the mounting threat, emphasizing the need to stop equating militancy with jihad.
Visiting Nowshera’s Darul Uloom Haqqania after a suicide bomber targeted and killed the madrassa’s Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani, Fazl made clear that those who target fellow Muslims, mosques, religious scholars are terrorists. The candid denunciation, coming from a religious leader with political backing, highlights the need to end the ambiguity that has often allowed terrorists to exploit the gaps in our national security framework. It also serves as a rallying cry, particularly for leaders in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, to look past personal ambitions and pose a united front against militancy for both themselves and their constituents.
Pakistan has an unfortunate history of selectively responding to terrorism. In 2010, while chief minister of Punjab, incumbent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had urged militants to spare his province, even as militancy ravaged large parts of the country. The PTI, which rules in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, routinely opposes any bid to oust militants from the region, maintaining the only durable solution lies in dialogue. The demand ignores multiple failed attempts to negotiate peace through dialogue.
Such selective appeals serve not only weaken our collective resolve to tackle terrorism, but also send mixed signals to extremists. Terrorism does not respect provincial boundaries; an attack in one region inevitably casts a shadow over the entire nation. This is most evident in a recent update to the U.S.’s travel advisory for Pakistan, which specifically cites terrorism as a reason to avoid any visits to the country. The world is watching, and our inaction not only endangers lives at home but also diminishes our standing on the global stage.
Shortly after coming into power last year, the incumbent government unveiled Vision Azm-e-Istehkam, a comprehensive strategy aiming to promote unity and a consistent, principled stand against terrorism. Nearly a year in, there is little indication it is being implemented. Only by rejecting selective policies and working together can we hope to restore peace and stability across Pakistan.
The path forward is clear: a united Pakistan, with all political and religious leaders echoing the call for clarity and resolute action, is the only bulwark against the scourge of terrorism that imperils us all.