ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a survey of terrorism trends within Pakistan, particularly Baluchistan, and the neighbouring areas of Afghanistan and Kashmir. The Pakistani state remains highly vulnerable to the corrosive effects of violent extremism not least because of its ability to threaten Pakistan’s relations with important partners and investors such as the US and China. The Pakistani state’s relationship with terrorism is complicated by a series of drivers. First, there is a profound fear of Indian aggression among the military and intelligence communities that has led to the periodic support of violent groups in Kashmir and Afghanistan. Second, there is a growing affinity amongst civilian and military communities with extreme forms of Islam that sometimes support violence. Third, despite the success of some counter-terrorism operations, foreign powers and domestic politicians continue to occasionally support violent extremists in order to meet political objectives.
