SOUTH ASIA

South Asia has been a region riddled by innumerable manifestations of political violence and
terrorist activities. The nature and the reasons for terrorism varies from country to country.
The South Asian region currently faces a grave security threat due to increasing extremism
and terrorist activities. The politics of violence and extremist trends in South Asia can be
linked to the contradictions arising as consequence of faulty national policies. Almost every
country in South Asia has faced the problem of terrorism in one form or the another. Those
motivated by nationalist politics, religious extremism, ethno-nationalist separatist groups etc.
often it acts as the root cause of mistrust among the South Asian states and thus disrupts the
efforts of peace process between states of this region. So, it can be said that, terrorism has
been negatively playing a crucial role in the way of peace process in South Asia.
HISTORY OF TERRORISM IN SOUTH ASIA
Terrorism in South Asia has a long and complex history, with various groups and movements
operating in the region over the years. key historical events and groups associated with
terrorism in South Asia includes,
 The partition of British India into India and Pakistan (1947) led to communal violence
and the displacement of millions of people an early form of terrorism in the region.
 Sikh Separatist Movement (1980s-1990s) or The Khalistan movement in Punjab, India,
sought to establish an independent Sikh state called Khalistan. Marked by violence,
including the infamous Operation Blue Star in 1984 and the assassination of Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984.
 Sri Lankan Civil War (1983-2009), The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a
separatist militant organization, was involved in a conflict against the Sri Lankan
government. The LTTE was notorious for suicide bombings and acts of terrorism.
 Kashmir Conflict (ongoing): The Kashmir region, disputed between India and Pakistan,
has been a focal point of terrorism and insurgency for decades. Various militant groups,
including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, have been involved in acts of
terrorism in the region.
 Afghanistan and the Taliban: Afghanistan, although not entirely part of South Asia,
shares a border with Pakistan and has been a significant theatre for terrorism. The rise of
the Taliban and its association with Al-Qaeda has had a profound impact on the region.
Baluchistan, a province in Pakistan, has experienced a long- running separatist
insurgency.
These are some of the historical examples of terrorism and insurgency in South Asia
TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS
Terrorist organizations and personalities have played a significant role in troubling South
Asia, contributing to regional instability and insecurity.
 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT): LeT, based in Pakistan, has been responsible for numerous
attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks. It has a strong anti-India agenda and operates
in Kashmir and other parts of South Asia.
 Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM): Another Pakistan-based group, JeM, has carried out attacks in
India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. It's known for its suicide bombings and has
been involved in multiple high-profile incidents.
 the Taliban originated in Afghanistan, its activities have had a spill over effect on South
Asia, especially Pakistan and its border regions. The group has been associated with
various terrorist acts.
 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, based in Sri Lanka, was responsible for a long and
brutal civil conflict. The group used suicide bombings and guerrilla warfare tactics.
 Naxalite-Maoist Groups operate in India, including the Communist Party of India
(Maoist). They are involved in guerrilla warfare and have carried out attacks against
Indian security forces.
Personalities like Osama bin Laden, the founder of Al-Qaeda, Hafiz Saeed the founder of
LeT, has been a key figure in anti-India terrorism. He has been accused of masterminding the
2008 Mumbai attacks. Mullah Omar, the former leader of the Afghan Taliban, played a
central role in the group's activities and its relations with Al-Qaeda. Velupillai Prabhakaran
The founder and leader of the LTTE, Prabhakaran, was known for his militant tactics and
leadership during the Sri Lankan civil conflict. Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi as the leader of ISIS
(Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), had a global impact, and some of his followers were active
in South Asia.
many of these individuals and organizations have been involved in acts of terrorism that have
had serious consequences in South Asia.
REGION WISE STUDY OF TERRORISM IN SOUTH ASIA
Terrorism in South Asia varies by country and region within each country.
1) INDIA
Kashmir: The region of Jammu and Kashmir has been a focal point of terrorism and
insurgency, with various militant groups operating. This includes Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and
Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
Naxalite-Maoist Affected States: States like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Bihar have faced
the Naxalite-Maoist insurgency, with these extremist groups primarily active in remote and
forested areas.
Punjab: Some extremist groups have been active in Punjab, such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and
Jaish-e-Mohammed.
In 2001, there was brazen terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament. On 26 November 2008,
there was a series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai commonly referred as “26/11”. Another
one is 14 February 2019, Pulwama attack by the Pakistan based Islamist militant group Jaish-
e-Mohammed. Despite several anti-militancy and counter-terror operations carried out by the
security forces and severe steps taken out by the government, the nation continues to be a
victim of terror activities, mostly carried out by Pakistan sponsored militants sneaking into
Indian territories. Pakistan denies all allegations, stating that these acts are committed by non-
state actors.
2) PAKISTAN:
Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA): Historically, FATA and the border areas with
Afghanistan have been a haven for militant groups, including the Afghan and Pakistani
Taliban.
Baluchistan: The province of Baluchistan has experienced a separatist insurgency, with
various Baloch nationalist groups involved in acts of violence and terrorism. The U.S.
Country Reports on Terrorism describes Pakistan as a “Terrorist safe haven” where terrorists
are able to organize, plan, raise funds, communicate, recruit, train, transit, and operate in
relative security because of inadequate governance capacity, political will, or both.
3) AFGHANISTAN:
Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Afghanistan has remained in the limelight for counter-
terrorism activities. Afghanistan has faced terrorism and insurgency on a nationwide scale,
with the Taliban being the most prominent group. Additionally, the presence of Al-Qaeda and
the Islamic State, the Haqqani network and the Hizb-e- Islami has added to the complexity of
the situation. The term “nacro-terrorism” is applied in reference to Afghanistan because of its
narcotics production and export business.
4) SRI LANKA:
Northern and Eastern Provinces: During the Sri Lankan Civil War, the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled parts of the Northern and Eastern provinces and carried out
acts of terrorism. Sri Lanka has successfully managed to eliminate LTTE and the state seems
to be contemplating various formulae to accommodate Tamil interests. But the struggle
against terrorist activities has not ended. The April 21, 2019, terror attack in Sri Lanka is a
grim reminder of South Asia’s vulnerability to terrorism.
5) BANGLADESH:
Dhaka and Other Cities: In recent years, Bangladesh has experienced a rise in extremist
attacks, particularly in urban areas. Groups like Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB)
have been responsible for these acts. the government is acting against the Islamist radicals
like JMB and HUJI (Harkat-ul-Jehad-al-Islami). Bangladesh also faces the problem of left-
wing extremism in certain pockets but their influence seems to have been reduced in recent
times. The alarming aspect in Bangladesh is the host of factors that are conducive for the
spread of terrorism such as high youth unemployment, acute economic disparity, rising
religious fervour, and easy availability of firearms serve to fuel terrorist activities.
6) NEPAL:
Western and Far Western Regions: The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) led a decade-
long insurgency, primarily in the western and far-western regions. The conflict ended with
the Comprehensive Peace Accord in 2006.
7) BHUTAN:
Southern Border Areas: Bhutan faced a security challenge from Assamese and Bodo
separatist groups from India operating along its southern border. Bhutanese authorities
successfully addressed this issue. successfully destroyed the camps of ULFA and few other
Indian North-eastern terror organizations in December 2003. But some reports suggest that
these groups are trying to regroup in Bhutanese territory. Bhutan also faces a threat from the
Maoists group who are active in both India and Nepal.

SAARC, REGIONAL COOPERATION AND COUNTER -TERRORISM

Since the birth of SAARC in 1985, Leaders of SAARC member states have accorded
counter-terrorism as the number one priority and numerous pledges and commitments have
been made to collectively combat it and eventually eliminate it. A SAARC Terrorism
Monitoring Desk has been established in Colombo since 1995 to “collate, analyse and
disseminate information about terrorist incidents, tactics, strategies and methods.” On
February 2009, during a SAARC council of ministers’ meeting, a declaration on
“Cooperation and Combating terrorism” was made. South Asian countries have taken many
measures to combat terrorism like India and Bangladesh have improved their intelligence
cooperation, leading to the arrest of several terrorists. India has increased border fencing and
surveillance on its borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh. Pakistan's National Action Plan
includes legal measures against terrorism. Sri Lanka initiated community programs after the
2019 Easter Sunday attacks. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has put pressure on
countries like Pakistan to curb terrorist financing. Bangladesh's "Joy Bangla" campaign
counters radicalization. the Indian Army's surgical strikes across the Line of Control in 2016
targeted militant launch pads.
Modern day terrorism has a complex and multidimensional character. It transcends borders.
Although, South Asia continues to be plagued by the rising wave of terrorism, the countries
in the region still have not been able to collectively deal with this menace. Hence, what South
Asia sorely needs is political consensus and a collective will to implement the endorsed and
adopted counter–terrorism measures. The threat of terrorism that has bedevilled South Asia
can be best ameliorated through cooperation at various levels.
Bibliography
1. “Terrorism in south Asia – Dipankar Sengupta and Sudhir Kumar Singh"
2. [Link]