Pakistan has indeed defeated terrorism, and is now countering the propaganda campaign by isolated remnants of TTP, Daesh and Al Qaeda etc., through various media platforms and in person through madrassahs. Pakistan is a case study for countries suffering from menace of terrorism (both foreign-sponsored and domestically-triggered), when it comes to showing resilience and defeating it. Pakistan is moving towards a violent-free society through a well planned strategy by defeating terrorism in kinetic domain. Terrorists targeted all sects, ethnicities, age groups and gender without any discrimination, which showed that terrorists do not belong to any sect; rather they are out to promote anarchy and chaos. Though some members of the banned TTP had joined Daesh, but they could not establish a foot print in Pakistan, and only splinter groups relate their propaganda to achieve international relevance.
People of Pakistan supported the armed forces and stood by them to get rid of spectre of terrorism, as terrorists had not only destroyed schools and mosques but also martyred thousands of innocent people. Of course, there is incontrovertible evidence that their sponsors and planners are present in Afghanistan and India. But none of their acts can be justified in the light of Quran and Sunnah. In his farewell sermon, Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had declared sanctity of human life more than Holy Kaabah, which does not align with activities and tactics of Daesh. Paigham-e-Pakistan fatwa by 1800s muftis and ulema (domestic/international) clearly described acts of terror as un-Islamic and forbidden. Nowhere in religion, Jihad justified killing of innocent citizens or destroying their properties (an act which was forbidden even during war). Anyhow, Security Forces of Pakistan are resolved to protect the faith, culture, values and lives of fellow citizens.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had forbidden his followers from harming innocent women, children, elderly persons, noncombatant bystanders, and even trees and crops during war time. Islam is indeed the religion of peace, as it does not endorse ‘disorder’ and chaos on earth. The Holy Quran proclaims that Allah loves not those who create disorder (Quran 5:64). As suicide bombing and killing innocent people are all devices of terrorism that create chaos and bloodshed in peace time, these are against the teachings of Islam. Under the Paigham-e-Pakistan, different religious schools of thought had unanimously prepared an impressive document in light of the teachings of Quran and Sunnah, whereby rationale behind sectarianism and use of religion for spreading evil was rejected and the true face of Islam was revealed. In 2018, a day before the conference details of Fatwa (Islamic ruling) signed by over 1,800 religious clerics from different schools of thought were announced.
The Fawta stated that those who committed suicide attacks, order such attacks, train such people are all considered rebels against the true spirit of Islam. The ruling further stated that the state had the right to act against such people. In other words, it would be the state’s prerogative to declare Jihad, and no one, in any capacity, would be allowed to either give a call for the imposition of Shariah or announce the existing governing setup contrary to Islam. Paigham-e-Pakistan comprised a joint declaration and a unanimous fatwa, which was reflective of the collective thinking of the state of Pakistan. The document had been prepared with the assistance and support of state institutions and with the cooperation of all the leading ulemas, madrassas and religious organizations of the country.