In Pakistan, the war against terrorism has always been approached from a security perspective that is articulated in terms of security operations, border management, intelligence coordination and sacrifice of lives. These are key pillars of this struggle and Pakistan has suffered tremendously in terms of its social stability, resources and blood. However, as a South Asia Times piece points out, the greater struggle isn’t just to take on the gunsmen in the hills, the towns or across the border. It is against Kharjeeyat: an extremist ideology which enhances the violence even after dismantling of the terrorist networks. This is the harsh reality that Pakistan will have to deal with. Terrorists can be killed, captured or driven out of ground, but when their worldview that allows them to kill for religious reasons live on, the terror continues.

The significance of this argument is in the historical context. The author’s study leads the reader back to a violent and sectarian tendency that occurred in the early history of Islam, known as the Khawarij, who defined other Muslims as “bloodshedders” and justified rebellion, bloodshed and assassination on the basis of this definition. The ideology is the same in the TTP and ISKP, which are active in modern South Asia. Their language may change, their media may be electronic, but their rationale is always the same: the state, society, scholars, soldiers and the common folk must be declared enemies, and their attacks must be considered to be their sacred duty. It is not just politics that are militant. It is a fanatical-mindedness that is expressed in holy jargon.

The military campaigns of Pakistan are definitely successful and effective. Various stages of destruction of terror hideouts, killing of commanders,........

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