DAWN Editorials 4th August 2026

Swat bombing

IT is a bitter irony that terrorists struck a protest against violence in Swat on Sunday, causing at least 17 fatalities. Both policemen and civilians were martyred in the atrocity.

Reports indicate that a suicide bomber blew himself up near a police station as the anti-terror protest was underway when officers tried to search him. Some media outlets have said the banned TTP has claimed responsibility for the bombing.

This bloodbath should lead to thorough counterterrorism action, as the people of Swat — and indeed the rest of KP — deserve to live in an atmosphere free of terrorism and violence.

Unfortunately, as pointed out in an exclusive report published in this paper, gaps in training have left LEAs in KP vulnerable to ‘double-tap’ or ‘two-stage’ attacks by terrorists. Moreover, the casualty numbers from July, and the first half of 2026, indicate that a fresh CT strategy is needed to bring down the number of fatalities, and effectively neutralise the threat of terrorism.

The fact is that terrorists appear to be operating without fear of consequences, while LEAs are unable to stay ahead of them. A string of recent ‘two-stage’ attacks in KP illustrate this point.

The terrorists’ modus operandi involves attacking security facilities, waiting for reinforcements to arrive, and then staging secondary attacks. A number of security personnel have been martyred in these attacks.

Police officials say forces lack the training to counter these attacks, while experts also question how terrorists are able to maintain their supply lines. The gaps in training need to be filled so that security forces are able to defend themselves, gain the upper hand over violent elements, and, through better intelligence, break up their networks and thwart their attacks.

At present, the terrorism figures, particularly in Balochistan and KP, do not paint a reassuring picture. According to the PICSS think tank, there were over 600 fatalities in July. While the vast majority was of terrorists, over 200 security men, civilians and peace committee members were martyred last month. Balochistan saw the highest levels of violence, while KP was not far behind.

Overall, in the first six months of 2026, Pakistan has witnessed over 900 fatalities involving LEAs and civilians. This is far too high a toll, and the state needs to urgently refine its CT strategy to prevent further loss of precious lives.

It is a matter of great concern that despite the martyrdom of so many policemen and soldiers, as well as civilians, the state is unable to vanquish the monster of terrorism. Hostile external forces may indeed be creating problems, but as security experts point out, we have failed to secure spaces within our borders where terrorists operate from. This continuous bloodbath must end so that people can live in peace.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2026

Tariff blow

FOR an export sector already squeezed by high production costs, the additional 10pc tariff on top of the existing 29pc on Pakistan’s shipments to the US comes at the worst possible moment for the country’s textile and apparel industry. The new import tax imposed by the US trade representative late last month, after a review linked to enforcement of forced-labour prohibitions across Washington’s trading partners, risks eroding Pakistan’s competitiveness in the American market. Pakistan prohibits forced labour by law, but the US wants stricter enforcement. Textiles and apparel account for most of Pakistan’s exports to the US. Facing high energy prices, expensive financing, taxes and logistic costs, the textiles and apparel industry fears its buyers could turn to lower-cost suppliers from regional competitors. The new duty is estimated to cost the sector $564m in export revenue this fiscal year.

The new tariffs come amid growing discussion of stronger commercial ties between Islamabad and Washington. Pakistan is also increasing imports of oil and other commodities from the US, a move meant to narrow the bilateral trade gap in favour of America. But that cannot be mistaken for protection. Even the recent improvement in diplomatic relations between the two has failed to shield Pakistan’s exports from additional tariffs — that should be seen as a warning. The new duties are a reminder that diplomacy alone cannot offset hard trade policy. If Pakistan wants to increase its share in the US market on stable terms, it must show that compliance and enforcement are functioning systems. It cannot rely on goodwill alone, nor can it afford complacency at home. The immediate priority should be to reduce the cost of production through cheaper and more reliable energy, easier access to finance and improvements in logistics. That must be paired with serious enforcement of labour standards and a more proactive case before US regulators and buyers. Washington must also recognise that punitive duties on a labour-intensive economy can deepen hardship without necessarily changing supply-chain behaviour. The long-term answer is diversification. Pakistan should push beyond dependence on low-margin textile and apparel exports, move up the value chain and broaden its export markets. A stronger industrial base, not diplomatic optics, will determine whether it can sustain its presence in global trade.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2026

Perilous peaks

THE deaths of 10 climbers in an avalanche on Broad Peak is a sad reminder of the perils that many mountaineers face in their quest to scale the tallest peaks. Among the latest victims was Nepal’s Nirmal Purja, the first person to summit the world’s 14 8,000m peaks and the Seven Summits — the highest mountains in each of the seven continents — both with and without supplemental oxygen. Purja’s body was found three days after the avalanche on the 8,051m Broad Peak. In fact, Nepal is mourning the loss of one of the most accomplished generation of mountaineers it has produced. In total, it mourned six deaths in the tragedy, the others being Pur Bahadur Gurung, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thendu Sherpa and Gyaljen Sherpa. Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi was also part of the ill-fated 10-member expedition. Others included Nathira Al Harthy of Oman, American Mallory Geis and China’s Wang Zhong. When the avalanche struck on Thursday, theirs was the only expedition on Broad Peak that had stayed behind after the others had retreated due to heavy snowfall. Pakistan immediately launched a search-and-rescue mission after contact was lost, with army helicopters scouring the area. But all hopes were dashed on Friday when the bodies of two climbers were discovered. Inclement weather made matters difficult for the rescuers. Three more bodies were found on Saturday, including Purja’s.

In recent years, Pakistan has seen an uptick in the number of climbers who dare to scale its challenging peaks. However, the remoteness of the region makes it difficult to launch rescue missions. The deaths on Broad Peak are a painful reminder of all that these climbers had put on the line to scale the world’s tallest peaks. More importantly, they reflect the courage and devotion of these men and women who aspire to reach heights that only a few in the world have attained. That is their way of living out their passion and doing things beyond the ordinary.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2026