Pakistan Security Report 2008

This is the third annual security report of Pakistan by Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS). It has been observed in the past three years that every year brings new security challenges for Pakistan. The influx of Taliban and Al Qaeda in the Federally Administrative Tribal Areas (FATA) and their growing influence in parts of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), activities of jihadi groups throughout the country and of nationalist insurgents in Balochistan remained key security challenges amid increasing number of suicide attacks in 2008 . The Mumbai terrorist attacks on November 26, 2008 and the alleged involvement of Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in those attacks led to increasing pressure from the international community for Pakistan to take immediate steps against militant groups based in the country. After officially admitting Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving gunman of the Mumbai attacks and an alleged LeT member, as a Pakistani national, international pressure can force Islamabad to take stricter action against militant groups operating on its territory. With Pakistan featured as a key priority in the foreign policy of the Obama administration in Washington, 2009 appears to be a challenging year for the government in Islamabad.

The coalition government led by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) sent positive signals to the international community about its commitment to the war on terror, and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani announced the formulation of a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy based on political engagement and economic development, backed by credible military element. Initially, the new government succeeded in developing a consensus resolution on terrorism in parliament but that resolution has not yet been implemented...