PAKISTAN is once again staring at the specter of terrorism, with bloodshed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan becoming disturbingly frequent.

Groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) are back in action, exploiting sanctuaries across the border and fractures within our own political fabric. This resurgence is not accidental; it is the result of years of flawed policies, weak narratives, and external support networks that remain unchecked.

The roots of today’s crisis lie in the misplaced policy of appeasement. Under Imran Khan’s government, dialogue with the TTP was pursued despite their long record of killing innocents and targeting security forces. That experiment gave militants valuable breathing space to reorganize and rebuild their networks. Today, the PTI-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to adopt a lenient........

© Pakistan Observer