Pakistan and State-Sponsored Terrorism in South Asia

Abstract

Pakistan has gained the international reputation of being the world’s foremost exporter of Jihadism. While analysing the causes and consequences of this phenomenon, numerous observers find that there are clear indicators that the Pakistani government is involved in sponsoring terrorism. In order to weigh these assertions, this chapter will apply the concept of state terrorism to Pakistan, based on a set of indicators, in order to assess the potential involvement of the government in terrorism. It demonstrates that, in the case of Pakistan, state-sponsored terrorism is caused by a severe defect in the country’s political-administrative system more generally and by the unhealthy civil-military relations in particular. Subsequently, it analyses the discrepancy between the claims and true ambition of the government as it assesses Pakistan’s recent counterterrorism activities. The chapter stresses that Pakistan has only acted against militant groups that developed an anti-Pakistan agenda and are considered a threat to the regime. Terrorist organizations on Pakistani soil that mostly operate abroad, especially in Afghanistan and/or India, are not clearly targeted by the country’s antiterrorism campaigns. Keeping this in mind, the analysis will consider the interstate dimensions of Pakistan’s involvement in state terrorism. In conclusion, it considers Pakistan a part of the problem of cross-border terrorism, rather than a credible partner in finding a comprehensive solution to the global challenges of international Jihadism. As such, it is argued that Pakistan must be identified as a state sponsor of terrorism.