Repeated attacks on Army highlight Pakistan's failure to curb violence in restive areas: Report

Islamabad [Pakistan], May 26 : Regular attacks on the Pakistani security forces have proved Pakistan's inability to curb violence in the restive areas, especially in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa(KPK). The country's western border continues to remain fragile.
Repeated attacks have forced the Pakistan Army to continue the deployment of 11 Corps and 12 Corps, reported a Canada-based think tank, International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS).
Although the Pakistan army boasts of its successful "Operation Radd-UI-Fasaad" (RuF) targeted at eliminating the remnants of terrorism, especially from restive areas in KPK and Balochistan, there are critical operational voids in the Eastern front.
Pakistan has failed to establish its writ across several regions in Balochistan, some Federally Administered Tribal Areas(FATA), and KPK where the tribal leaders remain alternate power centres. Even though 5 years of the RuF operation have passed, security forces in Pakistan continue to face high casualties in the restive areas of KPK and Balochistan.
Over 152 incidents were reported in these areas wherein 323 security forces personnel were killed whereas 186 were injured, this year. The recent nature of attacks by the separatist groups of the regions reveals that they have devised better tactics alongside effective weapons, reported IFFRAS.
Coordinated attacks with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), and grenade throwing, have led these separatist groups to launch attacks on security forces with greater precision and planning including sniping
Further, regular border skirmishes along the Durand line have made the situation even more fragile. Although Pakistan troops were present at KPK, they failed to prevent the separatist groups from striking. The fate of Balochistan remains the same as the groups continue to carry out attacks at regular intervals, reported IFFRAS.
A lack of local support and intelligence to security forces has led to a surge in the number of attacks. Such attacks remain persistent because while only militant groups engaged in violent activities against the State of Pakistan face action, those having extra-territorial operations are completely ignored.
In addition, the Pakistan government's reluctance and lack of resolve to act against some of these groups have posed serious domestic challenges as well. Blatant violations of human rights conventions by Pakistan Security Forces like the indiscriminate and ruthless employment of heavy calibre weapons against the separatist groups to establish control of the situation have also added fuel to the attacks.
Balochistan has been striving for independence from Pakistan owing to the latter's continued oppression. Although Balochistan is the largest province and contributor of vast natural resources, it receives only 9 per cent of the total China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) share while 50 per cent of the projects have been captured by Punjab alone, reported IFFRAS.
These rising number of attacks indicate that the RuF operation was unsuccessful in counter-terrorism. Besides, since the Pakistan political establishment has abdicated its responsibility to set a sustainable political objective, the Army has done the same. This might be one of the primary reasons for the operation being ineffective.