TERRORISM is rarely defeated by force alone. Military operations can dismantle networks, eliminate terrorist leaders and deny terrorists physical space, but enduring success depends on something less tangible yet far more decisive; National cohesion. When a society remains united, its political leadership, security institutions, civil administration, media and citizens working towards a shared objective-terrorist organisations lose their ability to exploit internal fault lines.

Pakistan’s experience illustrates this reality. Over the past two decades, terrorism has claimed the lives of more than 94,000 Pakistanis, including civilians, while imposing an economic burden estimated at over $152 billion. More recently, security authorities reported that 1,235 civilians and members of the security forces lost their lives in terrorism and counterterrorism-related violence during 2025 and according to........

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