TERRORIST activities have once again become prevalent across Pakistan. Last Tuesday, a tragic incident unfolded in Dera Ismail Khan where nearly 25 army soldiers lost their lives in a terrorist attack. Reports indicate a concerning trend, with a 25% increase in terrorist attacks, posing a serious threat to Pakistan’s peace and security.

The Gilgit Baltistan (GB) region, crucial in strategic terms, experienced a terrorist attack last Sunday. The assailants targeted a passenger bus travelling from Gilgit to Rawalpindi in the Hadoor Chilas area, resulting in the loss of nine innocent lives and leaving over 20 passengers injured. The responsibility for this attack was claimed by Lashkara Jungjowi on X (formerly Twitter), though doubts linger about the authenticity of the account.

Gilgit-Baltistan, a region of great importance, has faced a tumultuous situation in the past five months, notably marked by religious clashes between Sunni and Shia groups in August. These clashes led to chaotic conditions, freezing human activities and causing suffering among the residents, resembling a war-like scenario.

After the normalization of religious tensions, GB faced new challenges, including wheat shortage and the revocation of wheat subsidies. The federal caretaker government decided to withdraw the wheat subsidy in GB, prompting widespread rejection by the masses. The people of GB demanded their due rights, emphasizing that, according to the Constitution of Pakistan, GB is a backward region, and it is the government’s prime responsibility to provide subsidies.

The decision to revoke only the wheat subsidy was perceived as unjust. Furthermore, the GB masses insisted on representation in national institutions such as the National Assembly, Senate, NFC and other federal entities before such decisions were made. The protests concluded, but unfortunately, terrorist attacks on passenger buses followed, causing heightened concern among the people of GB.

One more important thing is that in the wake of terrorist activities, Gilgit-Baltistan, which majorly depends on tourism, suffers a lot because terror threats discourage the prospecting tourists to come to the area. In the past, scores of tourists have been looted, as well as murdered in many cases, which has potentially impacted the tourism of this backward region beyond security concerns.

Moving forward, it is imperative to apprehend the terrorist attackers, ensure their punishment, and set an example. The literary class, youth, religious clerics, civil society, journalists and other stakeholders in GB must unite to eliminate discrimination based on sects, caste and region. Achieving unity is crucial for the peace and security of GB. The government and law enforcement agencies should actively combat terrorist activities in GB, and the federal government must prioritize and address the challenges faced by GB to enable its residents to lead peaceful and restful lives.

—The writer is a freelance columnist and MPhil scholar at the University of Punjab Lahore.

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