Living under the persistent threat of violent non-state actors in Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has become a new normal. Civilians and law-enforcement troops are on equal footing in terms of the death toll during the past several years. Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in the militant activities since late 2022. The outlawed Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP)/Khawarij began threatening the state of Pakistan. In 2024, Pakistan suffered 2546 violence-linked fatalities and 2267 injuries among civilians, security personnel, and outlaws. This tally of casualties stemmed from 1166 incidents of terror attacks and counter-terror operations, marking a grim year for the country’s security landscape.
The Rise of Militancy: TTP, BLA, and the Expanding Threat Landscape
The various factions of anti-state leanings just expressed their already accumulated hatred in this outburst. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has carried out the deadliest attacks on civilians and law-enforcement agencies lately. While the aforementioned organizations are leading the board to worsen the Law and order situation. However, there are other factions as well which operate in periphery or work in collaboration, take Islamic State-Khorasan (ISK). Pakistan has seen mounting tensions on its border with Afghanistan which is adjacent to the two of its restive provinces.
BLA offers a challenge to the state’s writ, and impedes any negotiations to take place. The Inter-Services-Public Affairs (ISPR) accuses BLA of being sponsored by Pakistan’s eastern neighbor as it defies the state’s authority. . BLA is sowing the seeds of ethnic divide and exaggerating the grievances of common people of Balochistan. However, the civil rights activists and political parties from across the Balochistan are the true representative of the Baloch People. The nature of BLA’s tactics is secular which is apparent through its employment of young women in suicide attacks.
The BLA insurgents perpetrate acts of violence against Chinese engineers and workers, which is evident enough that some foreign handlers sabotage Pakistan’s prosperity and growth. Pakistan interprets the major assaults in Gawadar port city and on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects as gross anti-state acts of vehemence. The protracted Social Conflict Theory of Edward Azar can be aptly applied in the case of Balochistan where the BLA mutineers and terrorists exploit social grievances, unmet security needs like recognition and fair access to resources, and proclaimed threats to identity.
TTP/ Khawarij on the contrary pounced upon the sentiments of creating an Islamic State of Pakistan, a facsimile of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA). The US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the establishment of IEA back in 2021 turbo charged their campaign. TTP began to believe again that their dream is not vanished and could still be worked out. IEA provides TTP/Khawarij the sanctuaries according to ISPR to launch attacks and hit-and-run tactics against Pakistani soil. TTP is ultra-religious in its outlook and seizes every opportunity to belittle the state of Pakistan.
Counter-terrorism Strategies: From Kinetic Operations to Soft Measures
When dealing with violent non-state actors, Pakistan has set the precedent to engage more through kinetic means. For instance, Intelligence based operations (IBOs) and ambush style confrontations with these militant outfits. However, the government concluded the establishment of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) in 2008. And granted it administrative and financial autonomy in 2013. The raison d’être of this organization was to counter extremism in all its manifestations. Moreover, to develop a comprehensive mechanism to overpower the radical tendencies in the society.
It was a welcome step, and expectations from it were to enhance the role of non-kinetic and soft means to suppress terrorism and extremism in society. It worked well for a few years and proved substantial during Operation Zarb-e-Azb and Operation Raddul-Fasad. Nevertheless, Law enforcement agencies sidelined it when they overshadowed NACTA’s role with forceful means deployed to counter radicalism. Part of the problem also arose from the peculiar nature of social values and norms in the respective societies that root insurgency and extremism.
Pakistan launched Operation Azm-e-Istehkam in June 2024 to effectively neutralize all the banned outfits and their extremist activities. This operation curates well and instead of producing internally displaced persons (IDPs), it aims to rely on IBOs and target assaults against all the proscribed militant organizations operational in the country. Pakistani authorities are determined to counter terrorism and insurgency; nevertheless, they face an uphill task that demands both their internal resolve and operational prudence to mitigate the radical elements.
The Road Ahead: Challenges and the Need for a Comprehensive Security Framework
Pakistan is climbing up the ladder in terms of the most volatile regions in the world. The Global Terrorism Index 2025 ranked Pakistan 2nd in the ranking of countries affected by militant violence. The country requires enhanced civil and military collaboration to cater to its security demands. Economic meltdown and political upheaval should not let the country slip into mayhem from where no one can ensure an easy pullback. Pakistan should resort to the combination of precision-guided IBOs and operative non-kinetic measures.
It will keep the counter-extremism drive from becoming cumbersome for the state and society. Pakistan cannot afford to have another decade of disorder. In summing up the discussion, every citizen of the country is a valiant soldier of the motherland and should contribute in one’s capacity to serve the noble cause of eradicating the scourge of radicalization and militancy.
