LAHORE : “The roots of terrorism in Pakistan can be traced back to 1979 when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. Pakistan supported Afghan Mujahideen against the Soviet forces. The wave of terrorism started in Pakistan in 2000. There was a declining trend in attacks and deaths in our country between 2015 and 2019, but it rebounded between 2020 and 2022, with 971 deaths (229 civilians, 379 security forces and 2,320 terrorists)”
These views were expressed in a seminar “Terrorism and the role of army”, organised jointly by Mir Khalil-ur-Rehman Memorial Society (Jang Group of Newspapers) and Pakistan Ex-Servicemen Society (PESS).
The speakers said issue of terrorism in Pakistan is complex and multifaceted. The problem intensified during the Afghan War in the 1980s. The Afghan jihad led to an influx of weapons and fighters into the region.
They viewed after US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, there was a significant increase in terrorist incidents in Pakistan, especially in the tribal areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Between 2001 and 2011, about 35,000 Pakistani citizens died in the violent incidents. By 2013, this number reached 80,000, and the country suffered an economic loss of about $30 billion.
A speaker said terrorist incidents have increased in recent years. In 2023, some 693 people were killed and 1,124 injured in 306 terrorist attacks, a 17 percent increase compared to 2022. In 2024, terrorist incidents increased by 45pc, and the number of deaths reached 1,081.
During this time, they told the audience, Pakistani security forces suffered highest number of casualties in almost a decade, with 685 personnel martyred. Overall, from 2001 to 2024, the number of deaths in Pakistan as a result of terrorism has exceeded 80,000.
“Increase in terrorist incidents and loss of lives of security forces in recent years shows the seriousness of this problem”, another speaker remarked.
Speaking at the event, PESS President Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qayyum said terrorism is a complex global issue, affecting societies for centuries. “The word terrorism is often used to refer to acts of violence carried out to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or government. These acts can take various forms, such as bombings, shootings, cyber attacks and propaganda campaigns”, he explained.
He said the motivations behind terrorism can be diverse, including political and ideological beliefs, religious extremism and personal grievances. The role of military in the fight against terrorism is multifaceted, he said, adding military forces can be deployed to provide security and to restore stability in the areas affected by terrorism.
However, he said this role of military is not without challenges. “We should value the sacrifices of Pakistan Army in the war against terrorism”, the PESS President said.
Aziz Ahmed Awan said people know Pakistan Army personnel are playing an important role for the past several decades in eliminating terrorism from the country, sacrificing their precious lives. “I believe there is a very strong bond between the Pakistani people and the army, and this bond will always remain strong”, he hoped.
Unfortunately, there are a few people who use dirty tricks to end or weaken this bond. They want to give the impression whatever the things going wrong are being done by the army, he regretted.
After the recent terrorist incidents, the X-Men Survey Society has decided to play its role, he informed, saying seminars and rallies in solidarity with the army will be organised. Today's seminar is one of them, he said. Aziz Ahmed urged the people to stand behind the forces to end terrorism. For this, he stressed negative propaganda on social media against army should stop. The people involved in this activity should be boycotted. RushdaLodhi said terrorism war is a challenge for everyone. “We have to be prepared for it and develop new strategies and technologies to combat it. This war is fought far away from the battlefield, a war fought in our digital world, the fifth generation war. The tactics used in this war include targeting information base of the adversary, disrupting their communication networks and influencing public opinion”, he told the audience. He said in the fifth generation war, we have to see how to protect our digital data, our communication system and how to protect public opinion from misinformation.
Raees Ansari said the army played an important role in ending terrorism in the country by sacrificing precious lives. “There are many forms of terrorism. Economic terrorism is currently on the rise in our country. We should not discuss our army and security institutions on any forum and not engage oneself in the negative propaganda being spread on social media”.
UzmaKardar said distinction between legitimate resistance and terrorism is often blurred. Military solutions alone may not always be effective in addressing the root causes of terrorism, such as poverty, inequality and political grievances, she remarked.
“Terrorism is a complex and multifaceted challenge that requires a holistic approach. The military plays a vital role in the fight against terrorism”, she said.
Brig (retd) Nader Mir said we need to work together to root out the disease of terrorism. “We need to understand terrorism has no religion or nationality. It is a product of misunderstanding and hatred”, he said.
Terrorism is a problem that requires us to address poverty, lack of education and injustice in the society, Nader Mir said, adding we have to promote tolerance and mutual respect in our society.
At the same time, he said, we have to support our governments and security agencies in fighting terrorism. Act together in stopping financing of terrorists and combating their activities, he urged.
Prof DrMoneebaIftikhar said entire nation has to stand with its forces. “The youth are currently confused. They love their army, but are confused due to false propaganda and political polarisation”, she said.
Taking advantage of this confusion, digital terrorists take innocent minds into their hands, mislead their thoughts and involve them in harmful activities, she said.
Prof DrFaliha Zahra Kazmi said the role of army is not limited to fighting terrorists only. The army also plays an important role in helping the victims, conducting relief operations and reconstruction.
“The bravery and sacrifices of the army are a source of pride for us. They are our shield of safety, and we trust they will protect us from all kinds of dangers”, she said.
Usman Ahmed Bhatti said the armed forces of our country work day and night to ensure our security and freedom. Negative propaganda against soldiers ignores their sacrifices and services, and is a threat to the security of our country, he said.
Salman Ghani said negative propaganda against the army on social media is a big issue. “Nowadays, social media has become a powerful tool that enables faster transmission of information. At the same time, it can also become a source of misinformation. The personality and decisions of the person, who holds highest position in the institution, are criticised, he said, adding it not only affects performance of the institution, but can also have a negative impact on the national security.
MajorKhanzada Muhammad Ali said, “We should understand the work of military leadership is very difficult and responsible. Criticising them without any solid evidence is not only unfair, but harmful. We need to be careful on social media”.
DrKalyan Singh Kalyan said for countering negative propaganda, we should not believe every word we hear as a responsible citizen. “We should share information based on truth and facts and not indulge in spreading rumours and false information”, he said.
One should raise his voice and promote positive discourse in the matters of national security and honour of army, he said, adding in this way, we can promote unity of our army.
Abdul Kareem Asi said countering negative propaganda against the army on social media is an important issue. “The effects of this negative propaganda can weaken public confidence, as it threatens the security of the country”, he said. The speakers suggested steps to deal with this issue: public should be asked to identify misinformation and false claims, share accurate information and facts about the army and raise voice against negative content on social media.
WasifNagi said terrorism is a complex issue troubling societies for centuries. “The media plays a significant role in shaping public opinion about terrorism. It can make people aware of the threat of terrorism and educate the public about its causes and consequences”.
He said media can also help counter extremist ideologies and promote tolerance and understanding. However, he said, media can also contribute to the spread of fear and prejudice, as coverage of terrorist attacks can sometimes be sensational or biased.
He urged the media to report on terrorism responsibly and ethically, avoiding use of inflammatory language or images that may incite violence or hatred. “They should strive to present a balanced and nuanced view, highlighting the human cost of terrorism and the importance of combating it by peaceful means”, he advised.