By: Mufti Abu Harith, Graduate and Specialist, Jamia Islamia Makhzan-ul-Uloom, Karachi
As a free and independent citizen of Pakistan, I have long been closely observing and listening to the broadcasts of both the Pakistani military’s public relations wing (ISPR) and the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) media wing (Umar Media) for a while. Furthermore, I habitually verify the news, especially those concerning terrorist incidents, through independent sources. Thus, in this exposition, I will attempt to shed light on the facts surrounding who the state institutions are fighting against in this war and whether launching new operations like «Azm-e-Istehkam» will lead to victory.
May my words find a place in your heart.
Recently, I had the opportunity to listen to two consecutive press conferences by the ISPR, in which the military spokesman, Major General Ahmed Sharif, made numerous revelations.
One such revelation was that this year, security forces conducted a total of 23,622 operations, averaging 112 operations on a daily basis. These resulted in the deaths of only 139 military personnel whereas 398 terrorists had allegedly been killed (and thousands arrested).
On the other hand, Umar Media (the TTP’s media wing) also released a report detailing their operations for the first six months of the year 2024. According to their claims, from January to June, TTP conducted the following attacks on the Pakistani security forces:
— Total Attacks: 497
— January: 75
— February: 65
— March: 66
— April: 96
— May: 99
— June: 96
— Enemy Casualties:
— Killed: 483
— Injured: 649
— Total Killed and Injured: 1,132
— Arrests: 3
If we include the operations that took place in July, we witness the highest number of activities throughout the TTP’s entire history within a single month, showing a significant increase:
— July:
— Killed: 91
— Injured: 124
— Total Killed and Injured: 215
Therefore, the Pakistani State (from January-July) suffered a total of:
— Total Killed: 574
— Total Injured: 773
— Total Killed and Injured: 1,347
In light of these reports, we attempt to evaluate the casualty ratio in this war, which neither party is willing to accept. This raises the question: who is bearing the true losses?
It would be somewhat understandable if the TTP reports a rather minute amount of incurred losses, given the nature of their guerilla warfare, which typically incurs fewer losses to them and greater losses for the enemy. However, the losses claimed by the state of Pakistan, which TTP does not acknowledge, raise the question: who is bearing these considerable casualties? Inevitably, it is the Pakistani public.
The claims I’m making are not baseless but grounded in strong evidence and as a free and independent Pakistani citizen, I assert that the losses claimed by state institutions are indeed borne by the Pakistani public.
I will now proceed to assess these claims within the context of the public opinion to determine which party the Pakistani public holds responsible for these losses.
A few examples from public opinion will assist the readers in understanding who is truly responsible for the widespread devastation taking place in this war.
First Example:
Whenever the issue of missing persons is raised, the Pakistani public almost always holds the State of Pakistan responsible for the disappearance of thousands over the past two decades, demanding their recovery from state institutions. The public has identified the agencies responsible for abducting these individuals, with mothers, sisters, elderly, and youth wandering from courts to police stations, hopelessly seeking justice. In May this year, Ahmed Sharif admitted in a press conference that around 10,000 of these ‘missing persons’ were infact in the custody of state agencies, yet they were not given the opportunity to undergo legal procedures. Often times innocent civilians are detained in Dark Sites (secret cells) for long periods of time, and their families are kept in the dark about their fate. When needed, these detainees are either starved, poisoned, or killed in fake encounters. This is a harsh reality I have witnessed firsthand.
This clearly indicates that in operations like Zarb-e-Azb, Radd-ul-Fasaad, or Azm-e-Istahkam, the primary targets of state institutions are the general public and political figures who stand in their way.
Second Example:
From the mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan to the deserts of Balochistan, this 2,700-kilometer border area is rich in various minerals, resources, and luscious forests. Under the pretext of fighting terrorism, state institutions are systematically plundering these resources. Initially, the public was unaware of this scheme, but over time, they have come to realize the ulterior motives behind this war. The people of these regions now fully understand that behind these operations, there is always a hand of some military general or officer. In other words, while high-ranking generals are busy siphoning off dollars from the US under the guise of fighting terrorism, lower-ranking military officers are preying on national resources and public rights. This situation is clear evidence that the so-called war on terror is a means to subjugate the people and to seize their resources.
Third Example:
The Pakistani military has wreaked havoc in the Tribal Areas under the guise of fighting terrorism, forcing millions to migrate. Unrestrained use of fighter jets, helicopters, American drones, and artillery has turned thriving communities into desolate wastelands. Hundreds of mosques, madrassas, schools, and hospitals have been evacuated and turned into military bases, leaving millions to live in disgrace in refugee camps. Adding further insult to injury, the state institutions are filling their coffers by collecting dollars and resources in the name of these displaced persons from international humanitarian organizations.
Fourth Example:
In January 2018, former ISPR spokesperson Major General Babar Iftikhar revealed in a press conference that over 150,000 operations were conducted under Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, despite the military’s earlier declaration that the backbone of terrorists had been broken. Recently, military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif admitted to more than 23,000 operations and announced a new military operation, Azm-e-Istahkam. Based on the numbers, this averages 112 operations per day. Following the announcement of Azm-e-Istahkam, the entire Pakistani nation, including all political and religious parties, completely rejected it, realizing that the main targets of these operations would be innocent civilians.
It is noteworthy that if we assume one arrest and one death in every third operation, considering the indiscriminate firing, bombings, and extensive use of artillery and tanks, then over 50,000 arrests and more than 50,000 deaths must be acknowledged in these 150,000 operations.
Another question arises: if state institutions conduct hundreds of thousands of operations against terrorists within Pakistan, how can they shamelessly accuse the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan of allowing terrorist infiltration from Afghanistan?
I find it laughable when state institutions unashamedly claim that ‘terrorists’ are using Afghan soil.
Something the readers should also consider: Pakistan claims to have sealed the 2,700-kilometer-long border with barbed wire at a cost of over $550 million, making it impenetrable except through official crossings like Chaman and Torkham. Furthermore, 800 small and large drones, including American drones, are deployed to monitor the entire border, alongside numerous check posts, advanced thermal cameras and lights. Despite these extensive measures, how can the terrorists still manage to cross the border?
In my view, the claims they’re making are merely a means to cover up their failures, deceive the public, and extort more dollars from America.
My main purpose in highlighting these facts is to demonstrate that a military that turns its state power against its own people, viewing war as a business, will shortly face defeat and disgrace. There is still time for state institutions to come to their senses and stop waging war against the public. Otherwise, the day is not far when this political elite and military clique will, like Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed, face public resistance and be forced to flee.
By: Mufti Abu Harith, Graduate and Specialist, Jamia Islamia Makhzan-ul-Uloom, Karachi
Dated: August 7, 2024, corresponding to 2 Safar Al-Muzaffar 1446 AH
