In a response to a surge in militant attacks, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, announced that the federal government will engage religious scholars from all sects to craft a unified narrative against terrorism. This decision follows a series of coordinated militant attacks in Balochistan last month that claimed over 50 lives.
Additionally, religiously motivated groups like the Pakistani Taliban have intensified their activities, particularly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where they have been targeting security forces and government officials. Naqvi emphasized the importance of involving religious leaders in a nationwide campaign to counter extremism.
Pakistan attributes the escalation in violence to external influences, particularly from India and Afghanistan. The government claims that the rise of the Afghan Taliban has emboldened groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Kabul, however, denies that its territory is used by terrorist organizations. In Balochistan, the ongoing separatist insurgency is fueled by ethnic Baloch militants who accuse the federal government of exploiting the province’s resources.
