With terrorist attacks now practically a daily occurrence, it is unsurprising that fear and bewilderment amongst the citizenry is rising. Pakistan is no stranger to violence.

Until a few months ago, however, the bloodshed associated with militancy was confined predominantly to the north-western parts of the country. But with the initiation of the army’s operations against the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and related militant outfits, these groups started launching reprisals all over the country.

Audacious and well-planned attacks such as that on the GHQ in Rawalpindi and the Manawan police academy in Lahore have left the citizenry feeling under siege.

Matters are made worse by at least three recent attacks, which have broken the earlier pattern in which the main targets were symbols and institutions of the state and its security apparatus. The targeting of the International Islamic University in Islamabad, Peshawar’s Meena Bazaar and the National Bank in Rawalpindi are unmistakable indications that the militants are now turning their guns on ordinary citizens, including women, children and senior citizens.

Nevertheless, there are signs that there may yet be some light at the end of the tunnel. After years of prevarication, the military appears to have finally taken on the task of clearing the country’s territories of both home-grown and foreign terrorists. Credit must be given in this regard to both the army’s top command and the political government, which have so far demonstrated the will to dig in for the long-term battle. Secondly, it is of significance that a fair number of the militant outfits’ top command has been killed, forced to flee, or otherwise neutralised. True, reports continue to emerge about sleeper cells all over the country — indeed, it is now apparent that the militant network is spread far wider than was previously thought.

Yet these sleeper cells cannot function effectively in isolation. With the militant leaders and their strongholds under serious pressure from the security apparatus, such small outfits are quite likely to be rendered toothless. It is therefore possible to imagine that the militant menace may eventually be countered — as long as the government and the army continue to cooperate.