Terrorism requires a plan of escape.

 Because it simultaneously targets innocent people and destabilizes a society, terrorism is a double-edged sword. Even though the most recent suicide attack at a mosque in the pink quarter of Peshawar was not quite as severe as the terrorist attack on Army Public School (APS) in 2014, it was still a terrible event. Many lives could have been saved if there had been a manageable and high-quality way to get out of Pakistan's terrorism threat. 

With pledges and action plans, APEX committee meetings, and the All-Parties' Conference, the nation responds to every terrorist attack. Still, it fails to rein in the businesses that led Pakistan to terrorism and violence. Both the establishment of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) Pakistan and the National Action Plan has been unsuccessful. Pakistan became a battlefield after the beginning of the Afghan Jihad in 1978 to combat Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. Pakistan was the first nation to provide aid and shelter to Afghan businesses fighting the pro-Soviet authorities in Kabul. However, the state quickly began to confront violent tendencies. Terrorism gained legitimacy as a result of the state's failure to eradicate these individuals and businesses through complacency or collaboration with those who supported the Jihadi lifestyle. In 2014, the nation stated that it would not tolerate terrorism. 

The assault in Peshawar demonstrated, among other groups, Tehrek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Lashkar-e-Taiba, Lashkar-e-Jhangwi, and Tehrek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP). Even mainstream religious organizations like Jamaat-i-Islami and Jamiat-e-Ulmai Islam observed a policy of appeasement toward the aforementioned violent groups, giving them more room to destabilize Pakistani society and country through their incessant acts of terrorism. The authorities of the country ought to have prioritized developing a professional strategy for escaping the scourge of terrorism, but the actual situation is different. An exit strategy from terrorism was never even considered for Pakistan because the country lacked the political will, determination, clarity, competence, and imaginative capacity to effectively deal with forces that were using Islam to either seek energy or privileged popularity in society. Due to the absence of a trustworthy and environmentally friendly strategy for combating terrorism, extraterritorial rebel organizations have had a greater impact. Since the majority of terrorist attacks target harmless civilians, there is a brief outcry before things get back to normal. 

In response to the APS attack, the army launched "Zarb-e-Azab" and "Rad-ul-Fasad," but neither was particularly successful. Will the military launch a separate anti-terrorist operation? It suggests that, absent success, Pakistan's "musical chair" strategy for combating terrorism will continue. From a scientific and realistic point of view, there would need to be three main short- and long-term steps for an exit strategy to fight terrorism. To begin, it is essential to eradicate intolerance, extremism, militancy, early childhood radicalization, and violence as motivations for terrorism. Rhetorical and superficial measures, disguised as the National Action Plan and NACTA, will not eradicate terrorism because they will not eradicate the causes, signs, and motives of terrorism at the grassroots level. An escape strategy from terrorism would also require encouraging normal behavior in society rather than preaching a dogmatic and ultra-conservative way of life under the guise of religion. 

Unless a normal, moderate, and educated lifestyle is promoted, especially at the local level, terrorism will continue to be a threat. In a similar vein, rather than preaching hatred, intolerance, and chauvinism toward non-Muslims, Pakistan's education system should be reorganized to promote knowledge, moderation, and enlightenment. Things might have been different if we had addressed the attitude that resulted in the deaths of three Pakistanis and Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Zygfryd Wolniak on November 1, 1970. During the course of the interrogation, PIA truck driver Mohammad Feroze claimed that he killed the Polish delegate because, in his opinion, killing communists is acceptable in Islam. 

Poisoning the mind under the guise of religion can lead to intolerance, extremism, militancy, violence, and terrorism. Second, under the rule of law, a mentality that encourages violence would no longer be tolerated. Rule of law necessitates excellent and skilled regulation enforcement and the legal system. The threat of terrorism cannot be eliminated when the courts and those in charge of maintaining order are corrupt and ineffective, and when terrorists who have been arrested and convicted are released due to vulnerable prosecution. Terrorism has spread throughout Pakistani society as a result of the widespread acceptance and appeasement of those who openly preach hate, rage, and violence against minorities and anyone who does not adhere to their Sharia-based system. 

Pakistan is quickly becoming like Afghanistan, where the Taliban's closed-minded and brutal rule over women, minorities, and anyone who disagrees with them continues unabated. We want to learn from previous terrorist attacks, prevent safety violations, and have zero tolerance for those who use violence as a justification. If Pakistan hadn't allowed political events and organizations to use Islam for political purposes, the United States would not have been at risk from terrorism. Lastly, a comprehensive and multifaceted strategy is necessary for a terrorist exit strategy. Expert counterterrorism strategies are a goal of the judiciary, political parties, and corporations that enforce regulations. 

But how can there be a paradigm shift in counterterrorism if country establishments continue to demonstrate incompetence, corruption, and a lack of accountability? When the prosecution apparatus is susceptible and the courts no longer swiftly and harshly punish terrorists? How can anyone expect the United States to be free of terrorism? s . a . in this situation?