DAWN Editorials - 4th August 2025

[zarnishhayat]

Terror potpourri

DESPITE persistent denials by the Afghan Taliban that terrorist groups are using their country as a safe haven, the global consensus — backed by evidence — is that Afghanistan indeed continues to be a base for militants and violent extremists.

For example, the latest edition of the relevant UN Security Council monitoring report on IS and Al Qaeda reveals that both the banned TTP and IS-K continue to operate in Afghanistan with relative freedom.

In fact, where the latter group is concerned, the report says that IS-K poses a major threat regionally and internationally. The UN document again validates what Pakistan has long been arguing — that the Afghan Taliban are not doing enough to address the presence of terrorist groups on their soil, and that these outfits pose a significant challenge to regional security.

With regard to the TTP, which has been carrying out terrorist attacks in Pakistan with regularity, the report states that the outfit has some 6,000 fighters, and that it “continued to receive … logistical and operational support” from the Afghan Taliban.

This is despite the fact that some within the Afghan Taliban were of the view that Afghanistan’s de facto rulers should distance themselves from the TTP. The document also observes that the TTP maintains ties with IS-K, Al Qaeda as well as Baloch militants.

Interestingly, the TTP seems to be ‘diversifying’ its options, as it has links with both the Afghan Taliban and IS-K, which oppose one another. The UN report points out that IS-K “is the most serious threat” regionally and internationally. For this country, it should be a matter of great concern that this dangerous group is reportedly operating “close to the Pakistani” border, where it is training suicide bombers, who include minors.

These findings should prompt the Pakistani state, regional countries as well as the international community to address the problem of militancy in Afghanistan with alacrity. Though the Foreign Office has said there has been “better receptivity” to Pakistan’s concerns in Kabul, concrete action is needed from the Afghan Taliban regime to ensure that the potpourri of terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil do not transform into a global security nightmare.

While Pakistan needs to secure its borders and ensure that TTP and IS-K terrorists are not able to enter the country and find a foothold here, on its part, Kabul must do much more to neutralise the militant threat in Afghanistan. The prospect of the TTP and IS-K joining forces is a frightening one, and this budding terrorist alliance must be nipped in the bud.

The TTP has spilt innocent blood for years in this country, while the world has witnessed the horrors that the IS is capable of inflicting in the Middle East. Therefore, urgent action is needed to address the problem of terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2025


In honour’s name

THE blood of women continues to be spilled in the name of honour and still, the state remains a spectator. A recent high-profile killing involves Bano Bibi and Ehsan Ullah Samalani, killed in Balochistan, reportedly on the orders of a jirga. The murders, filmed and widely circulated online, showed Bano being shot allegedly by her own brother. The footage went viral and triggered national outrage, forcing the authorities to act. Sixteen individuals, including a tribal leader and Bano’s mother, were arrested, though the gunman remained at large. The Balochistan chief minister has called this a “test case”, pledging to dismantle illegal tribal courts. Yet many suspect this urgency stems more from public pressure than genuine resolve, and worry it may fizzle out once media attention wanes. In Rawalpindi, 18-year-old Sidra Bibi was allegedly suffocated after marrying by choice, again reportedly on the orders of a local council. Her body was buried in a concealed grave until a post-mortem confirmed foul play. Nine suspects, including her father and ex-husband, were arrested. These are but two out of an unknown number of such tragedies. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 405 ‘honour’ killings were reported in 2024, up from 226 the year before. Rights groups estimate the real toll to be closer to 1,000 annually, as most cases go unreported or are misclassified.

Despite a 2016 amendment that removed the loophole allowing families to pardon the killers in such cases, enforcement remains patchy. Jirgas continue to pass unlawful rulings, especially in tribal and feudal areas, and police are reluctant to act. Convictions are rare. Survivors receive little state support. Witness protection mechanisms are almost non-existent, and families who resist such customs face ostracisation or violent reprisals. It begs the question: how many more women must have their fate sealed by a bullet fired in the name of honour before the state cracks down? The 2019 Supreme Court ban on jirgas must be enforced without delay. Informal courts must be dismantled and replaced with accessible legal institutions. ‘Honour’ killings — a rash of which have been reported lately — must be prosecuted swiftly and both the killers and those who sanction the murder brought to book. A national database to document gender-based violence is essential for transparency and accountability. Outrage alone cannot deliver justice. The law — not custom — must dominate.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2025

The plastic problem PLASTIC waste, produced in large quantities, causes substantial damage to people and the ecosystem. The inauguration of the first Polyethylene Plastic Recycling Plant, in collaboration with a waste management company, at the Garbage Transfer Station of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board in Hyderabad, is a step in the right direction to treat the city’s plastic garbage. A part of the World Bank-funded PLEASE project (Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia), the public sector venture will produce manhole covers — frequently stolen by drug addicts — from recycled plastic. The company, with SSWMB, is also searching for a landfill site where, over the next two years, it can establish a plant to generate power from garbage for electricity needs. It aims to create awareness about reducing waste and identifying recyclable items. Currently, as per the project head, out of the 1,100 tonnes of municipal solid waste collection, eight tonnes is polyethylene plastic; 3pc of the latter is being used to manufacture 100 manhole covers for civic bodies.

It is well known that plastic waste poisons entire water bodies, resulting in devastating effects on marine life. The Hyderabad initiative’s success should, therefore, be ensured and replicated across the country, particularly in Karachi. The latter has turned into a vast garbage landfill. An earlier endeavour in Punjab of a plastic-infused road was a success. In 2023, Sindh announced the same ambition but it came to naught. As for packaging, utilising reusable plastic, instead of single-use plastic, can conserve resources and reduce waste. While the world searches for a permanent sustainable option, paper, glass and metal are suitable replacements for now. The impact of any material on the environment needs to be monitored to ensure that it does more good than harm. Administrative resolve to tackle socioeconomic and environmental losses must be visible and aggressive.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2025