Abstract
Sporadic incidents of terrorism that were claimed by Islamic State/ affiliated groups in Pakistan have turned the issue of their presence or otherwise in Pakistan into a constantly asked question in the local and international media. The fear raised by journalists, academicians and even speculators, especially in the international media, is that ISIS has managed to create a strong presence in Pakistan, even after Pakistan has dealt an effective blow to C in the country through military operation in FATA. At this point in time, as Pakistan fast moves toward successful culmination of Operation Zarb-e-Azb, this debate and line of argumentation will have far reaching impact on Pakistan’s future. This article analyzes the IS’s own declared ideological foundations, followed by its grand strategic designs for the region; and links it to the updates and evidence provided by media on ISIS’s presence in Pakistan by the year 2016 to see the viability and probability of replication of this phenomenon in the Pakistan of today and point at future challenges for the country.
Keyword(s)
Terrorism, phenomenon, culmination, academicians, affiliated