For years, we’ve been hearing a familiar story: militants in Pakistan claim they are victims, oppressed by the state, especially the Army. They say they are fighting for their rights, for freedom, for their people. But the truth is not that simple. The problem for these militants isn’t the Army, it’s the growing stability of Pakistan. That’s what they really fear. And they are twisting the narrative to protect their own interests. Let’s take a closer look.
Pakistan has made huge progress in the last decade in fighting terrorism. According to the Global Terrorism Index, terror-related deaths in Pakistan dropped by over 87% from 2013 to 2023. The Pakistan Army launched several major operations, like Zarb-e-Azb in 2014 and Radd-ul-Fasaad in 2017, to clear terrorist hideouts, especially in tribal areas. These actions were not just about fighting militants with weapons, they were about bringing peace to regions that had suffered violence for years.
But now, instead of direct attacks, many militants are changing their strategy. They know they cannot win against the Army on the battlefield, so they are trying to win a war of words—a war of perception. They present themselves as victims and label the state as the oppressor. They use social media, human rights slogans, and sympathetic journalists to spread their message.
In reality, their fight is not for the people. It is against the people. Wherever there is progress, schools being built, roads opening, jobs being created, these militants strike. In Balochistan, for example, dozens of attacks have targeted Chinese engineers and development workers under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Why? Because progress means people will have better lives, and that weakens the militants’ influence.
In 2023 alone, Balochistan saw over 180 terror incidents, mostly targeting development projects, security forces, and civilians. The militants behind these attacks don’t want Balochistan to develop. They want it isolated, angry, and under their control.
The same pattern is seen in other areas. When the government tried to introduce modern education in former FATA (now merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), militants bombed girls’ schools and killed teachers. Since 2007, over 1,000 schools have been attacked in KP, mostly by groups like the TTP. Their aim is not education, it is fear.
So why do these groups blame the Army? Because the Army stands in the way of their plans. It represents law, order, and unity. By attacking the Army through words and propaganda, they hope to turn public opinion against the institution that keeps them in check. They claim to speak for the people, but where were they when locals begged for peace? Where were they when tribal elders were being slaughtered for supporting polio campaigns or when shopkeepers were extorted in the name of “freedom”?
The truth is, many of these militants are not just local fighters. They have links to foreign intelligence and are funded from abroad. The EU DisinfoLab exposed a massive Indian-funded propaganda network over 750 fake media outlets in 119 countries, created just to attack Pakistan’s image. Much of this narrative-building benefits militants who pose as human rights defenders while carrying out violent acts.
Yes, Pakistan has some minor issues, no one denies that. There are economic problems, political challenges, and complaints of governance. But change must come through democratic means, not through guns and bombs. Militants do not want reform; they want to break the country apart. And they’re not doing this for the people. The real victims are ordinary Pakistanis. According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, terror incidents rose by 73% in 2023, killing over 1,500 people, mostly civilians. The pain is real, and it is being caused by those who claim to be fighting for justice. It’s time we question what we’re told. Not everyone waving a flag of freedom is a freedom fighter. Not every person claiming to be oppressed is telling the whole truth.
Militants are not scared of the Army’s guns. They are scared of peace, schools, electricity, and roads, because those things make them irrelevant. They are scared of educated youth who will reject violence. They are scared of a stable Pakistan. So when you hear them speak about oppression, ask: who is really being oppressed? And when they call for resistance, ask: resistance to what development? The real enemy of the militant is not the soldier. It is the schoolteacher. It is the voter. It is the builder. And above all, it is the idea of a strong and united Pakistan.
That is the story we must tell. Not the story they want us to believe.
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