Terrorist outfits in Pak continue to remain potent threat despite decline in attacks

Islamabad [Pakistan], Jan. 9 (ANI): Terrorist outfits in Pakistan continue to remain a potent threat for the country despite a decline in terrorist attacks in 2016. These outfits are widening their scope, narrowing their ideology and evolving within the new spaces, reports Daily Times. Pakistan will have to move beyond its hard approaches to stop these threats to remain on for long. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which is a banned terrorist outfit carried out 106 attacks in 2016 and remained a major factor for the instability in the country. Another terrorist group, Jamaatul Ahrar (JA) also saw its rise in 2016 by carrying out 66 attacks. Weakening of the TTP's operational capability is being considered to be the reason for JA's rise. According to the 2016 security report of think tank Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), this reality of how terrorist dynamics evolve should not be lost upon by policymakers. The report said that overall there has been a decline of 28 percent in terrorist attacks in 2016 and 909 people lost their lives in 441 terrorist attacks which took place in 57 districts across Pakistan. The report mentions that half of the attacks in 2016 were targeted killing or shooting. Sectarian violence will continue to remain on for long despite a decline in such types of violence for 2016. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi saw its rebirth as LeJ Al-Alami in 2016 and is believed to have widened its scope, developing computability with global terrorist outfits, including the Islamic State (IS). The government should consider all these activities while planning any response. The report said that these terror outfits pose a greater threat than Baloch insurgents as they were behind major terror attacks in the region. More than a thousand suspected terrorists and members of violent groups were apprehended by the security forces in 315 search operations. The forces carried out around 95 operational strikes and raids during the last year. National Counter-Terror Authority (NACTA) remains to get fully functional as it operates as a subsidiary of interior ministry. The people will question the government on what did they do to strengthen criminal justice system as now the military courts have expired. (ANI)