washington: Pakistan has made little progress in its pledge to eliminate all terrorist organizations without delay or discrimination. The country experienced significant terrorist activity in 2021. According to `Country Reports on Terrorism 2021: Pakistan` by the US Bureau of Counterterrorism the number of attacks and casualties were higher than in 2020. Major terrorist groups focused on carrying out attacks in Pakistan include Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and ISIS-K, the US Bureau of Counter Terrorism report said.
“Pakistan reviewed and revised its 2015 National Action Plan (NAP) to counter terrorism, reducing the NAP from a 20-point plan to 14 key points, but made little progress on the most difficult aspects – Special pledge to formally eliminate all terrorist organizations without delay or discrimination,” the report read. Terrorist attacks were carried out against various targets in the Balochistan and Sindh provinces of Pakistan by separatist terrorist groups.
Terrorists adopted a variety of tactics to attack various targets including IEDs, VBIEDs, suicide bombings and targeted killings. In 2018, Pakistan was designated a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. It was renamed again as CPC in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Its AML/CFT system. Pakistan remained in the gray list of FATF in 2021.
In 2021, members of religious minorities in Pakistan faced significant threats from terrorist groups. On 3 January, ISIS-K terrorists claimed responsibility for the killing of 11 Shia Hazara coal miners in Kachi district of Balochistan. On 21 April, five people were killed in a VBIED suicide attack in the parking lot of the Serena Hotel in Quetta, Balochistan. Local and foreign officials were targeted in the attack, according to details of the investigation.
According to the Counter Terrorism Bureau’s report on terrorism in Pakistan, the TTP claimed responsibility for the attack, also claiming that the targets were police and law enforcement. A prominent journalist in Pakistan was killed in an explosion on October 10, 2021 in Hub, Balochistan. According to law enforcement, the bomb was attached to their vehicle. The BLA has claimed responsibility for the attack.
On 30 December, attackers ambushed security officials in North Waziristan. Four security personnel were martyred in the retaliatory firing. The TTP had claimed responsibility for the attack.
According to the ‘Country Report on Terrorism 2021: Pakistan’, the Pakistani government has implemented major amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997, the National Anti-Terrorism Authority Act, the Investigation for Fair Trials Act of 2014, and the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2014 and 2020. continued to do All of these give increased powers to law enforcement, prosecutors and courts in terrorism cases.
Military, paramilitary and civilian security forces conducted whistle-blowing operations across Pakistan against anti-state terrorists. According to official reports, Pakistani law allows preventive detention, allows the death penalty for terrorism offenses and creates special courts to try terrorism cases. Extremist doctrine was being taught by some madrassas in Pakistan.
While the government continued efforts to increase madrassa regulation, some analysts and madrassa reform advocates note that according to official reports, many madrassas have failed to register with the government, provide documentation of their sources of funding, or have foreign Comply with the laws governing the acceptance of students. ,