Hasan Abdullah - War Correspondent for Dawn

The operation looks on course as far as regaining the territory of North Waziristan is concerned. It would serve [as] a significant symbolic as well as psychological blow to many jihadis who had developed a deep affinity with this area.

However in the long run, there are quite a few challenges. First, as a state, we still lack a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy. There is no clarity of thought over Islamist militancy within the general public at large and much of the ruling class.

Even most of our policy-makers have fallen for the very propaganda narratives they once created to delegitimise the enemy. As a result of this, many of the policy-makers continue to consider some militants as allies and strategic assets when in fact those militants are hand-in-glove with Al Qaeda.

There are way too many contradictions in the Pakistani narrative on jihadi groups. My research into militancy shows that this flawed narrative serves as the quickest and most convenient approach to draw many Islamists into the fold of militant Islamism.

We need to realise that the formulation of a successful counter-terrorism strategy would require some serious introspection and analysis of our worldview and strategic focus.