The Unseen War: Socio-Economic Roots of Terrorism in Pakistan's Troubled History

Abstract

Pakistan has been facing a persistent challenge of terrorism for more than two decades at the cost of a huge number of lives, infrastructure, and economic loss. The issue has deeply entrenched roots in the geopolitical history of Pakistan, as the country had been serving as a strategic base during the Afghan War in 1979 and then became a central player against the war on terror after the incident of 9/11. Being at the heart of conflicts in the country and region, this has fuelled extremism in the society, leading to terror attacks, violence, and extremist activities, causing devastation to the society, people, and economy. This paper establishes a link between socioeconomic factors, i.e., illiteracy, unemployment, social exclusion, and terrorism in Pakistan. The argument states that the aforementioned situations, along with bad governance, corruption, injustice, and political instability, pave the way for radicalisation and act as catalysts for violence. In this context, with a severe lack of opportunities, development, and justice, the underdeveloped areas are extremely exposed to extremist factors and ultimate recruitment. Utilising a case study approach, the research emphasises that, along with political factors, the foundational grounds for terrorism also include socio-economic factors. The paper suggests inclusive development, reforms in governance, and accountability as comprehensive counterstrategies to address the long-standing issue of terrorism.