THE regional geopolitical landscape remains highly tense, with Afghanistan, India and Pakistan positioned on a delicate escalation ladder. What is contributing significantly to this tension is the role of non-state actors. Where Afghanistan and Pakistan are concerned, the TTP is now a major point of contention. Meanwhile, for India and Pakistan, the situation has been exacerbated by the recent terrorist attack in Delhi. The identities and motives of the perpetrators are not clear, neither are possible links with regional or international terrorist networks. Nevertheless, it is evident that terrorist actors are a key factor in conflict escalation in the region. The irony is that political leaders are viewing the problem primarily through geopolitical and ideological lenses, an approach that will only benefit the terrorists.
States and their security institutions, particularly in South Asia, have long been accustomed to interpreting terrorism-related threats within broad geopolitical frameworks.
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