The arrest of two militants belonging to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) by the law enforcement agencies in Karachi has renewed concerns about the security situation in the country. If these miscreants are present in the port city, they would surely have some bad intentions as nobody is oblivious of their evil agenda of waging war against humanity. Their arrest has thwarted new episodes of violence but the concerned authorities need to be vigilant against their facilitators, who are planning to reactivate their network. Quite recently, they had carried out attacks on law enforcement agencies personnel and the Rangers have also hinted at the presence of these militant groups, who were trying to instigate violence in Karachi and spreading negative propaganda against the paramilitary forces. Karachi is home to a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-cultural melting pot with an ever expanding and changing demography. Due to the poor control of the civil administration, the city has become a playing field for gangsters, militants and criminals. Despite the ongoing operation in the port city, miscreants continue to attack whenever they find an opportunity. Due to a tussle between the Rangers and the provincial government, it has become an uphill task to cleanse Karachi of all types of crimes and militant activities. A major political party has its own reservations regarding the Rangers’ operation. All these complications have led to Karachi becoming a safe haven for lawlessness, terrorism, turf wars and all sorts of crimes. Another reason for absence of peace is the compromised police system, which suffers from its usual flaws, exacerbated by political pressures. Being the main industrial and commercial hub and port, instability in Karachi impacts the overall economy. The federal government ordered a non-discriminatory operation against all miscreants that led to reduction in the crime rate, but a lot more needs to be done.
The militia groups of al-Qaeda and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), other banned outfits as well as militant wings of various political parties are mainly responsible for spreading terror in Karachi. The attacks on the check-posts are tactics to intimidate the paramilitary forces. In order to counter these miscreants and their evil agenda, the Rangers have to come up with solid plans. In order to eliminate the terrorists, there is a need to launch intelligence-led operations. The challenge of militancy is big that needs coordinate efforts among all law enforcement agencies. The Rangers need to take politicians and the provincial government on board in order to deal with the threat of militancy. Karachi is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy and any disturbance in this city will ultimately affect the whole country. All political parties must cooperate with the Rangers to ensure a peaceful environment in Karachi. A unified response is needed to tackle the resurgence of terror. It is pathetic to note that the terrorists are getting united at one platform to enforce their malicious agenda, but the concerned authorities are divided over tackling this threat. It is the responsibility of all security agencies and politicians should get united to defeat militants and their evil agenda.
