Suicide attack

Published September 3, 2015

THE suicide blast outside the offices of the political administrator in Jamrud, Khyber Agency on Tuesday broke the relative calm in that particular tehsil of the agency this year.

Even otherwise, since the military quietly wrapped up Operation Khyber-II in mid-June, having ejected militants from Bara tehsil and the Tirah subdivision and secured two of three passes linking the Tirah valley to Afghanistan, the agency has been fairly secure.

Yet, the suicide bombing may be part of an emerging pattern that can be traced to an increase in IED attacks in the Mohmand and Bajaur agencies and an uptick in attacks on members of so-called pro-state peace committees.

Also read: Four killed, 56 injured in Jamrud suicide attack

The most likely candidate for orchestrating the recent attacks is the Ahrar faction of the banned TTP, which is believed to have found sanctuary on the Afghan side of the border. That the military operations in the upper reaches of Fata, and indeed in North Waziristan Agency too, have dislodged militants and caused them to flee to Afghanistan is not really news.

The new aspect may be the effect that the deteriorating Pak-Afghan relationship is having on the ability of anti-Pakistan militants to hide in Afghanistan and strike inside Pakistan.

Has the nosedive in Pak-Afghan relations, the increasing hawkishness on display in Kabul when it comes to Pakistan and a sense of pessimism that the bilateral relationship won’t stabilise anytime soon contributed directly or indirectly to the uptick in militant violence in parts of Fata?

Put simply, are the Afghan authorities either turning a blind eye to or possibly encouraging attacks in Fata to retaliate to the surge in bombings and attacks inside Afghan?

Tit-for-tat attacks are not unheard of in the region and it does appear that they may be at play once again. If that is indeed the case, great caution — and an even greater degree of frank discussions — will be needed to help stabilise the Pak-Afghan relationship and clamp down on cross-border militant movements.

Caution is necessary because it is all too easy for another round of damaging accusations and recriminations to break out in public. Frank talk is needed if the two countries are going to be able to address their respective security concerns.

As the dust appears to settle around the collapse of talks between the Afghan Taliban and Kabul, it has become increasingly clear that fundamental issues between Pakistan and Afghanistan were not addressed, let alone resolved. That mistake must not be repeated going forward. 

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Opinion

Editorial

Afghan turbulence
Updated 19 Mar, 2024

Afghan turbulence

RELATIONS between the newly formed government and Afghanistan’s de facto Taliban rulers have begun on an...
In disarray
19 Mar, 2024

In disarray

IT is clear that there is some bad blood within the PTI’s ranks. Ever since the PTI lost a key battle over ...
Festering wound
19 Mar, 2024

Festering wound

PROTESTS unfolded once more in Gwadar, this time against the alleged enforced disappearances of two young men, who...
Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...