ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Tarar has said Pakistan has paid a heavy price in the fight against terrorism, with the nation, armed forces, police and other law-enforcement agencies sacrificing around 90,000 lives.
Addressing a workshop in Islamabad on Tuesday, the minister said the state had formulated the National Action Plan (NAP) in response to the growing threat of terrorism, describing it as a collective national decision against militancy.
He said the federal and provincial governments, armed forces and other state institutions had joined hands under the plan to confront terrorism. From Swat and southern Punjab to Balochistan, concerted operations helped restore peace, while the security situation from Karachi to Khyber improved significantly.
According to Atta Tarar, Pakistan achieved substantial progress against terrorism within two-and-a-half to three years of implementing the National Action Plan. The improved security environment also helped create better conditions for investment in the country.
The minister, however, said the subsequent policy of resettling militants and holding talks with them undermined counterterrorism efforts. He termed the return of militants a reversal of years of progress made in the fight against terrorism.
He stressed that all political parties needed to be taken on board over the country’s counterterrorism policy, saying lasting success against terrorism would remain difficult without political consensus.
Atta Tarar said terrorists increasingly targeted “soft targets” instead of heavily secured installations, citing attacks on imambargahs, children’s buses and trains as examples. He also praised security forces for successfully handling the Jaffar Express attack, calling it an exceptionally challenging operation.
The minister attributed the rise in terrorism to what he described as a reversal of counterterrorism policies as well as external interference. He said Pakistan had evidence of external support for terrorist activities.
Referring to the Pahalgam incident, Atta Tarar said allegations against Pakistan were levelled immediately after the incident, but the country responded with facts and arguments. He questioned the circumstances surrounding the registration of an FIR within half an hour of the incident and said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer for a transparent international investigation had exposed weaknesses in the Indian narrative.
“Can a nation that has sacrificed 90,000 lives in the war against terrorism support terrorism?” the minister asked, adding that Pakistan had facts and statistics to substantiate its position on the issue.
He also cited the arrest of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav in Balochistan as evidence of Indian interference in Pakistan and said India itself faced allegations over activities abroad.
Speaking about emerging threats in the digital sphere, Atta Tarar said hostile elements were not only involved in physical acts of sabotage but were also attempting to influence public opinion and promote negative narratives. He warned that a single social media post could potentially put an individual’s life at risk.
The minister called for stronger legal and institutional mechanisms to deal with cybercrime, terrorism, harassment of women and exploitation of children online. He said the Cyber Crime Wing had been transformed into the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency to strengthen the country’s response to digital threats.
He said the legal and law-enforcement framework established under the National Action Plan was being further strengthened. Countering anti-state narratives and preventing the manipulation of public opinion, he added, required coordinated efforts by the federal and provincial governments.
Atta Tarar emphasised the need for a “whole-of-government” approach to countering extremist narratives, saying provincial assemblies also had an important role in tackling anti-state propaganda.
He said the government was strengthening its digital communication structure and had established a dedicated department to analyse electronic media content using modern technology. Artificial intelligence, he added, was also being used to automatically convert electronic media discussions into written text.
The federal government was providing provinces with technology and expertise to establish their own digital communication systems, he said.
Atta Tarar further said promoting Pakistan’s soft image and positive identity internationally remained a government priority. Digital platforms were being used to highlight the country’s culture and positive image, while efforts were also under way to expand media outreach in areas including Balochistan.
He said Pakistan’s recent diplomatic achievements had enhanced the country’s standing internationally and stressed the need to effectively communicate these successes to the world through narrative-building and soft power.
The minister also said a special cell had been established at the Press Information Department to counter violent extremism, while state institutions continued their joint efforts to reduce terrorism.
“Terrorism has no colour, race or religion,” Atta Tarar said, adding that its objective was to impose an ideology on others through violence.
He said Pakistan was created through the sacrifices and struggle of its founding generations and expressed confidence that the nation would remain united for the country’s survival, stability and prosperity.
“Pakistan is a blessing from Allah Almighty and, God willing, it will always remain strong and prosperous,” he added.