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Time to revisit our security paradigm
May 27, 2011
Realistically, the country has been in a state of war for ten years, yet our ruling elite failed to chalk out a comprehensive strategy to combat the menace of terrorism. Gradually, the terrorist groups have been acquiring proficiency in their planning and operations. They smoothly make a way into the guarded facilities and hit highly sensitive targets. The security agencies’ failure to uncover the terrorist groups’ plans before they strike is a serious issue. It necessitates the overhauling of the entire intelligence system. Hence, the increasing ability and capability of the terrorist groups necessitate that our ruling elite should thoroughly investigate the phenomenon of terrorism and chalk out a combat strategy. Sticking with the prevailing counterterrorism strategy is too perilous for the security of Pakistan.
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The terrorist attack on the Pakistan Navy airbase in Karachi on May 22, 2011, demoralized the entire nation. It also exposed the incapacity of our law-enforcement agencies to keeping the strategic sensitive areas from the enemy’s incursions. Simultaneously, it alarmed that the terrorist groups are not only capable to hit the unguarded innocent common man in the markets, but they are also skilled enough to strike protected facilities of the armed forces of Pakistan. This reach of the terrorist is certainly alarming.
The failure of Navy’s security apparatus to thwart the terrorists’ penetration in the sensitive airbase inflicted immense political, economic, strategic and psychological damage on the country. Therefore, a mere apologetic-cum-unaccountable stance on the militants’ infiltration in the Navy airbase is very dangerous for the survival of Pakistan. Indeed, the episode demands a transparent inquiry and accountability to prevent such incidents in the future. There is a need to investigate and answer the question how a small team of insurgents managed to scale the back wall of one of the country’s premier naval air stations and destroy surveillance plane, killed soldiers and kept base under their control for over sixteen hours.
Ironically, the government response to this dreadful incident was disgusting. The Naval chief, Admiral Nauman Bashir, with the greatest possible firmness denied that there was a major security lapse. Whereas, the interior minister simply reported the concocted story of terrorist attack like a shrewd newspaper reporter. He simply explained how the terrorist broke into the secure airbase. He did not say anything about investigation of the breach of the security and future course of action to prevent the replication of such incidents. He was not unequivocal to identify the reasons that why four to six terrorists held the whole base hostage for over sixteen hours? The most humiliating fact was that two of them escaped, while four were killed. Is it not a reflection of incompetency of the country’s armed forces?
Neither Interior Minister nor the Admiral was ready to take responsibility of the failure. They seemed disinclined to probe the question ‘how the details of the base and the location of the targets reached the attackers?’ Without fixing responsibility and creating a balance between rewards and punishments, the government cannot foil future terrorist attacks. The departments concerned need to investigate the issue, and the exemplary punishments should be given to the culprits.
The terrorists targeted aircraft fleet of the Navy. They destroyed and damaged three aircrafts, martyred ten soldiers and injured scores of others. The destruction of P-3C Orion aircraft, especially suited for anti-submarine warfare, severely undermines Pakistan Navy’s surveillance capability.
The Western media echoed the Indians propaganda. It raised fears about the safety of the country’s nuclear arsenals. It spelled out nightmare scenarios about the militants acquiring nuclear materials from the Pakistani nuclear facilities. Indeed, these fears over the country’s nuclear weapons are misplaced and unfounded. Pakistan has very robust, multilayered command and control systems.
The Strategic Plan Division (SPD) has institutionalized vigorous vetting process—personal reliability and human reliability programs—to prevent insiders’ link with the terrorist groups. In addition, it has developed fool proof security system such as Permissive Action Link system, modeled on one used in the United States. The Permissive Action Link electronically locks nuclear weapons. The SPD also relies on a range of other measures, including physical security, through highly trained personal; separation of warheads from missiles, warheads from explosive devices; dual key system, etc. More precisely, the nuclear facilities are well protected.
Realistically, the country has been in a state of war for ten years, yet our ruling elite failed to chalk out a comprehensive strategy to combat the menace of terrorism. Gradually, the terrorist groups have been acquiring proficiency in their planning and operations. They smoothly make a way into the guarded facilities and hit highly sensitive targets. The security agencies’ failure to uncover the terrorist groups’ plans before they strike is a serious issue. It necessitates the overhauling of the entire intelligence system. Hence, the increasing ability and capability of the terrorist groups necessitate that our ruling elite should thoroughly investigate the phenomenon of terrorism and chalk out a combat strategy. Sticking with the prevailing counterterrorism strategy is too perilous for the security of Pakistan.
To conclude, the increasing radical/extremism in the society and the improved striking power of the terrorists are not ignorable. Therefore, both the state and society have to collectively quash the prevalent lethal trend in the country.
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