DAWN Editorials 20th September 2026

Kohat attack

FRIDAY’S attack in Kohat marks a further escalation by Pakistan’s enemies. They targeted a mosque in Kohat’s old Police Lines with an explosives-laden vehicle, then attempted to storm the compound and attack police facilities in the ensuing chaos.

At least 23, including 17 police personnel and officials, were martyred in this dastardly assault on worshippers. More than 100 were wounded. But police and security forces regrouped quickly and launched a valiant counterassault, eliminating all but two of the attackers within hours of the initial bombing. The remaining two were neutralised in a clean-up operation that extended overnight, supervised by some of the top police and counterterrorism officials, with one holed-up terrorist killed and the other blowing themselves up rather than face the consequences of their actions.

The operation produced considerable acts of courage, not least by the additional inspector-general of the CTD, who was injured by a grenade yet returned to conclude the clean-up.

The nation will mourn the lives lost and pray for those who were injured. The nation will also demand swift justice for those who lost loved ones.

The group which claimed the attack has, by attacking worshippers on what Muslims consider the holiest occasion of the week, not only shown that it observes no ethical limits, but also that it is operating with a single goal: to cause maximum bloodshed and harm.

The Ittehadul Mujahideen, an umbrella organisation of terrorist outfits, is, according to the Jamestown Foundation think tank, believed to operate from safe havens across the border, share intelligence and coordinate attacks with its terrorist factions, and run organised digital campaigns. It has apparently used drone technologies to deadly effect while targeting security forces and installations in the past. As such, it is considered in some circles to be a more serious and sophisticated threat than the TTP. It needs to be treated as such.

The KP police must be better equipped and trained. They are facing an enemy which is increasingly using modern technology to cause bloodshed. They must be supported with the equipment, strategies and technologies they need to effectively limit and counter the constant, deadly threat they face.

Simultaneously, the authorities need to review the approaches being taken to counter violent actors. National policy on counterterrorism requires recalibration and revisiting, especially regarding its diplomatic, political and social aspects, which must be addressed together to secure stable dividends.

Sadly, the public’s attention is so fixated on social, political and economic problems that the terrorism crisis has been pushed to the margins of national discourse. Pakistan must confront these networks with the full force of the state and the law, but cannot do so effectively till its own house is in order.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2026

Beyond fossils

PAKISTAN’S vulnerability to external energy shocks is no secret. The ongoing disruptions of LNG supplies caused by the Middle East conflict have only reinforced that as well as the risks to an economy dependent on imported energy. If anything, the current crisis should force a rethink of the country’s energy policy. Pakistan must accelerate the transition to renewables to reduce its vulnerability to imported fuels. This is exactly what the latest Gastech Conference report has suggested. The rooftop-solar boom has shown what consumer initiative can achieve. Thousands of homes and businesses have installed systems to reduce reliance on expensive grid electricity, increasing distributed generation and helping lower daytime consumption during the summer cooling season. This has been particularly useful amid disrupted LNG supplies. The government should build on this consumer-led transition. The next phase, however, must be better designed. Solar panels alone cannot resolve our energy woes. Their output falls sharply after sunset, when household demand rises, especially in summer. Without storage, the grid remains dependent on gas and other fossil fuels to meet evening peaks.

Government incentives should therefore increasingly support solar-plus-storage systems. Affordable financing, targeted tax relief and easier access to batteries will encourage households and businesses to store surplus daytime electricity for use at night. The policy must also address equity. Households able to afford solar systems can reduce their reliance on the grid, while poorer consumers may continue to bear a disproportionate share of fixed network costs. A poorly managed transition will deepen this divide. The government must ensure that the benefits of decentralised generation are not limited to those with substantial upfront capital. One way to broaden access is to encourage small, home-based neighbourhood solar grids. Households with surplus electricity and battery capacity could supply nearby consumers under regulated arrangements. This would allow power to be generated, stored and consumed closer to where it is needed. Reducing fossil-fuel dependence also has important economic implications. Greater use of domestic renewable resources can reduce exposure to volatile global prices and shipping disruptions while conserving foreign exchange. For an economy repeatedly facing external financing pressures, this is especially important.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2026

Who gets access?

GOOGLE’S presence in Pakistan promises investment, skills and technological opportunities. But recent concerns raised by Freedom Network point to a more immediate question: what safeguards exist if Pakistani authorities seek access to citizens’ Gmail accounts, drive files, search histories or other personal information? The watchdog has asked the government and Google to disclose the agreements governing their partnership and clarify what legal process applies to requests for user data. That concern is especially acute for journalists, whose communications may contain information capable of identifying confidential sources. Any arrangement that leaves such access unclear risks harming both privacy and press freedom.

The same scrutiny should apply to content-removal demands. Google should not be expected to take down material merely because a government agency asks it to do so, particularly where criticism, journalism or political expression is involved. Requests must rest on a clear legal basis, be subject to meaningful judicial oversight and, wherever possible, be disclosed to affected users. There should be no room for informal or undocumented data-sharing arrangements between state bodies and technology companies. Pakistan’s regulatory weaknesses make these protections more urgent. We still lack a comprehensive personal-data protection law in force, while public confidence in surveillance and censorship safeguards is limited. Independent scrutiny of how Google responds to official requests is therefore essential. The company, too, has an interest in demonstrating that its expansion in Pakistan will not dilute the privacy and free-expression standards users expect from a global platform. The government should publish all agreements, withholding only provisions whose confidentiality can be legally justified, and explain clearly what authorities may request, under whose approval and with what avenues for challenge. Pakistan needs digital investment, but not at the cost of opaque access to citizens’ information. Trust must be built into the partnership from the outset.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2026