Tarar calls for stronger narrative battle to counter terrorism and extremism

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar urged a stronger narrative battle to combat terrorism and extremism in Pakistan. He emphasized that the country's experience demonstrated that the "perception and narrative war" often began before actual conflicts. Speaking at a capacity-building workshop in Islamabad, Tarar noted that Pakistan had made significant progress against terrorism, but a policy reversal subsequently weakened counter-terrorism efforts.

Tarar stressed the importance of aligning information with reality, stating that "information managers or narrative builders" should narrow the gap between perception and truth.

Pakistan faced major security challenges in Karachi, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan, leading to the implementation of the National Action Plan, which garnered support from all stakeholders. Tarar highlighted that terrorism had largely been eliminated by 2017, following which investments returned and security improved. However, a subsequent policy change caused significant damage to the counter-terrorism campaign, as political parties were not consulted during the changes.

Pakistan has achieved diplomatic success and emerged as a mediator, improving its international perception. Tarar stressed that terrorism had no color, race, or religion and that the state would not tolerate the imposition of ideologies through violence. He emphasized the need for policy continuity and consensus among political parties.

Regarding the Pahalgam attack and tensions with India, Tarar questioned India's account of the incident, expressing concern over the rapid registration of an FIR and the alleged attackers' swift movement through challenging terrain.

Tarar also referenced Pakistan's sacrifices in the war against terrorism, citing the loss of 90,000 lives among various personnel, including children. He referred to the arrest of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav in Balochistan, presenting it as evidence of Indian involvement in terrorism, which India had not addressed. He noted that Pakistani society and security forces had acted as a "shield" between terrorists and the rest of the world, preventing terrorists from reaching international soil.