By RIAZAT BUT
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan is hosting a major security meeting this week, attended by senior leaders from longtime ally China and rival India.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was established in 2001 by China and Russia to discuss security issues in Central Asia and the wider region.
But it is Pakistan’s security that is under scrutiny.
An attack on a convoy of foreign ambassadors, violent protests by supporters of a jailed former prime minister and a bombing outside Pakistan’s largest airport are signs the country is struggling to contain growing threats from insurgents.
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The meeting, which begins Tuesday in Islamabad, comes at a crucial time for the government. Here’s why:
Armed groups overtake the army
Pakistan claims to have foiled the attacks through intelligence-based operations and preventative measures. He frequently promises to “eradicate terrorism.”
But the frequency and scale of recent violence makes the government appear out of control and raises questions about its ability to protect key sites and foreigners, let alone Pakistanis.
In recent weeks, separatists in Pakistan’s southwest Balochistan province have killed Chinese nationals in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, along with more than 20 minors in an attack on homes in a coal mine, and seven workers in another attack. The banned Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, is better able to mobilize fighters in different areas and its operational capabilities have increased.
The group wants independence for the province. He is not interested in overthrowing the state to establish a caliphate, as the Pakistani Taliban desire. But the two groups have a common enemy: the government.
Analysts have said the BLA enjoys support from the Pakistani Taliban. But even without an alliance, attacks in the southwest are becoming bolder and more brutal, indicating that the BLA’s tactics are evolving and taking the security apparatus by surprise.
The Pakistani Taliban continue their shooting and bombings in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bordering Afghanistan.
It could be difficult for activists to access the meeting, given security around the venue and areas where delegates will stay. But they could still wreak havoc.
Vehicles are often simply waved at checkpoints on the streets of Islamabad. Aside from government buildings and large hotels, body searches and under-vehicle scanners are rare.
“The issue for the entire state is the single mission: how to organize such an event peacefully,” said Imtiaz Gul, executive director of the Center for Security Research and Studies. “How to achieve this without any unpleasant incidents occurring.” It will be a big challenge for the government to refute the idea of failures within the security apparatus.”
Pakistan pays the price of closures
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said last week that the national economy suffered cumulative daily losses of more than $684 million due to the recent unrest.
He was referring to supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan who had reached the heart of the capital, despite the suspension of mobile phone service and the placement of shipping containers at access points to the city. The shutdown affected most industries, the gig economy, point-of-sale transactions, commuters, students, workers and more.
Pakistan cannot afford to suffer such losses or aggravate the grievances of its people. It relies on bailouts from the International Monetary Fund and multibillion-dollar deals and loans from friendly countries to meet its economic needs. Demonstrations are regularly organized against energy bills and the cost of living.
Despite the difficulties encountered by the population, the authorities declared a three-day holiday around the meeting.
The government has reportedly ordered the closure of wedding halls, restaurants, hotels, cafes and markets in Islamabad and the neighboring garrison town of Rawalpindi over security concerns.
Authorities have denied the reports, but not very forcefully.
“In general, high-level conferences aim to promote connectivity, trade and improve the image of a country,” Gul said. But not in this case because Islamabad will not look like a normal city, he said.
“It seems they lack innovative ideas,” Gul said. “They are incapable of using intelligent approaches and that is why the easiest way is to stop everything.”
A seat at the table and saving face
The last time Pakistan hosted a major conference was in March 2022, a month before Khan was forced out of office and a new round of upheaval began.
The country’s security situation and political instability are two factors that have prevented the country from organizing major international events.
Even its most beloved sport, cricket, suffered. There was a 10-year absence of Test matches after terrorists ambushed a Sri Lanka team bus in 2009, killing eight people and injuring players and officials.
This meeting is an opportunity for Pakistan to shine, particularly against its Chinese neighbor, to whom it owes several billion dollars and whose nationals are favored targets of armed groups, as well as against India, which is sending its Minister of Foreign Affairs in the country. for the first time since 2015.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars and strengthened their armies, but have also developed nuclear weapons. China and India went to war over their borders in 1962.
Pakistan, unaccustomed to hosting a meeting of such a level, will have to present itself in its best light.
Abdullah Khan, a senior defense analyst, said the government wanted to show its international legitimacy amid domestic crises.
“The presence of heads of state and other senior officials will itself be a success as Pakistan will come out of its so-called isolation,” Khan said. “A peacefully organized SCO would further improve the country’s image. »
Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed contributed to this report.
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