WAR ON TERROR

2007 – 2014

In 2001, the U.S. attack on Afghanistan brought thousands of foreign militants across the Durand line—a 2,600-kilometer-long border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Over the next couple of years, the militants settled into the seven districts of the Federally Administered tribal Areas (FATA), networking with local groups of radical Pashtuns to create a recruitment center for terrorists. By 2007, a militant culture had taken up arms in FATA.

For Pakistan, the war on terror became one of survival after June 2007 when a religious seminary underwent a small-scale uprising by religious extremists. On December 16th, 2014, the Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan was attacked by six Taliban gunmen. More than 148 people, most of whom were children, were killed in the terrorist attack. Over the span of seven years, the country faced major terrorist attacks, leading to an estimated 70,000 lives lost. Provinces faced a bomb blast nearly every day. Over a million people were internally displaced, leading to one of the major emigrations in recent Pakistan history. 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Compton, S., & Panetta, T. (2005). Human rights and the war on terror: Pakistan. Human
Rights & Human Welfare: Vol. 5 : Iss. 1 , Article 50. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/hrhw/vol5/iss1/50

Pakistan Taliban: Peshawar school attack leaves 141 dead. (2014, December 16). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30491435

Shah, S. Q., & Mohammad, N. (2020, February 14). Parents of Peshawar attack victims react to terror group spokesman's escape. Voice of America English News. https://www.voanews.com/a/extremism-watch_parents-peshawar-attack-victims-react-terror-group-spokesmans-escape/6184292.html

The effect of the "war on terror" on Pakistan. (2013, September 20). Open Society Foundations: Voices. https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/the-effect-of-the-war-on-terror-on-pakistan