By: Asem Mustafa Awan
Four soldiers of the Pakistan Army embraced martyrdom in North Waziristan stopping terrorists from infiltrating into homeland from Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s sacrifices in the form of men and material during ‘War on Terror’ is crystal clear and needs no mentioning but the small pockets of militants time and again try to sabotage the peace and are dealt with, with an iron hand.
The two decades of ‘War on Terror’ with United States of America invading Afghanistan resulted in Pakistan getting a backlash from left, right and center. The humongous task needed meticulous planning and preparations. The army chiefs over the past two decades laid out a detailed roadmap as how to counter the whiplash that resulted from the War on Terror.
A multipronged strategy was put to work in eradication of militants who were hell bent on destabilising the national peace and harmony.At the home front the militants and miscreants who took advantage and spread out in nook and corner of the country, creating havoc in the form of bomb blasts, suicidal attacks besides target killings were apprehended and brought to book. The first phase of this urban warfare was carried out from 2002 till 2007. This first phase after elimination of the militants from the cities was followed by Zarb-e-Azab and RaddulFassad where the militants were taken down from their operational bases and hideouts. Carrying out the two stages resulted in heavy losses in the form of human lives but militants were contained and citizens as a whole were protected by the security personnel who kept a close vigil.
The third phase started in 2013 and 14 where the areas of North and South Waziristan, the stronghold and operational bases of terrorists hideouts were targeted and combed with intelligence based operations keeping in mind the minimum of risk to the local residents.
The army is at fourth phase of the war and that is uprooting the remaining pockets of the terrorists besides their facilitators and financers.
The two decades of War on Terror finally came to an end in 2021 and Afghan Taliban took over the reign with solemn undertaking that Afghan soil will not be used against Pakistan or for any other country.
There are no two opinions as after the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan resulted in a chaos but planning was done before hand and Pakistan in order to secure its territory erected a border fence to monitor the flow of the people coming in and going out of border. The fence is near completion.
The Afghan Taliban surety from the western border has made it easier for the army as in the past a large number of troops were deployed there to check the cross-border activities of militants.
The terrorists after playing mayhem in Pakistan run to their safe houses operated by the Indians who were named time and again by Pakistan at many global forums.
The fight continues but now its terrorists on the run. The militants are chased and plucked one by one by the army to secure the nation and ensure peace in Pakistan.
The writer is a Special Correspondent at The Dayspring
