Pak must get rid of 'non-state' actors to save itself from destruction: Editorial

Islamabad, Sep.15 (ANI): The Pakistan Government has continuously denied the presence of any terror groups inside the country's boundaries, saying the outfits which are carrying out terrorist activities are 'non state' actors. However, an editorial in one of the leading English dailies of the country has said Islamabad must get rid of these non-state actors if it wants to avoid disastrous repercussions.

The Daily Times editorial highlighted the phenomenal rise of terrorist groups in South Punjab and said authorities must re-think on its policy due to which the problem has now gone out of its hands.

"This is not a good trend. Pakistan must re-evaluate its options in regard to regional security and review the policy which gave rise to the phenomenon of non-state actors. Our internal security demands that," the editorial said.

It referred to the numerous incidents where terrorist attacks across the country were traced to have links with outfits based in South Punjab.

"A majority of the 'non-state actors' now operating in the region and also targeting the state of Pakistan have come from South Punjab, with Bahawalpur as epicentre, simply because first Sipah Sahaba and then Jaish-e-Muhammad have found the backwardness of the region suitable for recruiting terrorists," the editorial stated.

Pakistan continues to look at the extremist elements in terms of 'good' and 'bad'. The problem with such a policy is that these elements cannot be controlled effectively. They have their own agenda which goes against the security and sovereignty of Pakistan, it added.

The editorial also raised questions over the uncontrolled expansion of madrassas in the region which are involved in imparting hatred for other religions.

"It is not permissible that the local administration should tamely accept the expansion of one madrassa while the city already has an estimated 1,000 of them, all presumably teaching a brand of Islam that never suited the state of Pakistan," it said.

It also raised fears that South Punjab could well become another Swat if the government fails to act in time and curb the expansion of terrorist groups in the province.

"What is most worrisome about the dominance of Jaish-e-Mohammad and other terrorist organisations in South Punjab is the fact that the local centres of power in the region are likely to succumb to it in the same way that the people did in Swat after warlord Fazlullah was allowed by the MMA government in the NWFP to establish his satrapy there," the editorial concluded. (ANI)