Pakistan grapples with escalating digital terrorism, impacting national security through digital radicalization, online jihadists, and cyber vulnerabilities, prompting urgent policy reassessment.

The evolution of terrorism from conventional activities to technological methods has given rise to advanced terrorism. Digital terrorism involves the use of technology in various terrorist activities by terrorist groups, leveraging cyberspace to transform traditional operations. It utilizes virtual technology for encrypting communications and indoctrination, thereby bolstering terrorist capabilities. This approach also impacts social and economic aspects, particularly in global recruitment networks. Digital tools enable the manipulation of statistical data, aiding organizations in making informed decisions, while digital terrorism allows terrorists to exploit critical information that can affect national security.
Digital tools facilitate the objectification of statistical data, crucial for terrorist groups to achieve their goals. Terrorism is evolving, with significant uncertainty stemming from terrorists' use of digital platforms like social media. The digitization of terrorist activities involves extensive use of social media to manipulate critical information. Digital terrorism also involves financial outreach to enhance money laundering activities across countries, facilitating the digital design of attacks. The picture below illustrates how organizations work.

The digital radicalization approach by terrorists focuses on the religious, political, and ethnic ideologies in Pakistan. These are the key risk factors for Pakistan's internal instability and the effective implementation of policies.

Impact on Pakistan’s National Security and Policy Response
Digital terrorism has had a significant impact on Pakistan's overall national security and policies. Increased terrorist activities within the country pose a critical threat to its stability. Pakistan has responded by implementing measures to counter these activities and reduce their social, economic, and political influence. The growing digitization has introduced new challenges to internal security, as local terrorist groups like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Al-Qaeda adopt digital tools to strengthen their operations. The emergence of the information technology (IT) sector has revolutionized policy formation and industrial growth but has also heightened cybersecurity concerns. The table below illustrates the number of cybercrime cases reported in Pakistan in 2021.
Digital Radicalization as a Threat to National Security
The increased proliferation of radicalization through digital platforms poses a significant threat to Pakistan's national security. Various extremist groups in Pakistan utilize these platforms to expand their influence. Pakistan's national security and response system face challenges in effectively countering digital radicalization. The extensive use of social media platforms has facilitated the success of insurgent groups like TTP and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), who radicalize locals and recruit them for anti-state operations. One critical impact of digital radicalization is cyber attacks on state institutions, disrupting infrastructure and security systems. Recently, Pakistan has experienced numerous cyber attacks from terrorist groups, adversely affecting government websites and financial institutions.
Pakistan's national security sees these cyber attacks as triggering factors for physical harm to local people by creating social chaos and panic among the local people. The digital radicalization approach by terrorists focuses on the religious, political, and ethnic ideologies in Pakistan. These are the key risk factors for Pakistan's internal instability and the effective implementation of policies. Digital radicalization in Pakistan is effective because they are using guerilla tactics; the hidden control centers of terrorists are a challenge for Pakistan’s state security agencies. 

Since the formation of the cybersecurity wing in Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Pakistan has faced 76 percent of digital complaints comprised of harassment, hate speech, religious proliferation, and domestic abuse.

Pakistan’s Digital Vulnerability 
Pakistan's increased dependency on cyberspace has threatened the country's digital security system. They added that Pakistan's digital vulnerability has increased due to its cyber services and enhanced communication system. Pakistan's national security is vulnerable because of a less regulated approach to different social media platforms. Pakistan has a trend of incidents related to hacktivism. This determines the vulnerable nature of Pakistan's digital sector. 
Pakistan’s Cybersecurity System/Policy
The ineffectiveness of Pakistan's cybersecurity policy is due to the diverse nature of digital terrorism. Since the formation of the cybersecurity wing in Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Pakistan has faced 76 percent of digital complaints comprised of harassment, hate speech, religious proliferation, and domestic abuse. 
Most issues aligned with digital security to cope with digital terrorism come under the Electronic Transaction Ordinance (ETO) 2002. However, the slow pace of the policies makes it a challenge for cyber response agencies to tackle these challenges. In 2014, Pakistan cyber law was passed, and the bill was further amended into the Cyber Security Protection Bill 2014. However, critics argue that the bill’s approach to regulating freedom of expression and information sharing has undermined its effectiveness. This is due to the increased use of digital platforms by terrorist groups and other concerned stakeholders to initiate different social media campaigns about the bill's inverse impact to get an advantage over its refusal. 
Further, Pakistan's counter strategies have focused on countering strategies to cope with the jihadist approach adopted by these terrorist organizations. However, Pakistan focused on the regularization of religious institutions such as madrasas to tackle the challenge of misinterpretation of religion. Increased religious influence and poor literacy rates in tribal regions make it problematic for Pakistan to implement such policies effectively. The table next provides an overview of the number of cyber cases registered in Pakistan.
Online Jihad Approach
Online Jihad is a significant strategy adopted by terrorist groups in Pakistan. The increased use of digital platforms and technologies enables non-state actors to recruit women for Jihad. Misinterpreting religious verses has been a successful tactic used by these groups. The TTP and Islamic State from Afghanistan are directly and indirectly involved in recruiting women from tribal regions. Over the past few years, more than 500 women from these areas have been trained as suicide bombers for various attacks. Many of these extremist groups limit women's access to professional opportunities. The online jihadist approach has effectively indoctrinated women across different regions, with hidden recruitment sectors preventing interaction with others.

In 2014, Pakistan cyber law was passed, and the bill was further amended into the Cyber Security Protection Bill 2014.

Key Recommendations
It is a fact that digitization has enhanced the overall progress of any country. Technological advancements in Pakistan have revolutionized all sectors. However, it has also provided opportunities for terrorist organizations to exploit. In this regard, the following are key recommendations to address digital terrorism in Pakistan. These recommendations stem from an assessment of digital terrorism and its impact on the country's national security and policy response system.
▪Pakistan's digital policy requires a unified and decisive approach, with a dedicated authority. This authority should oversee and coordinate among various agencies like the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), and FIA to enhance collaboration.

▪ Engaging religious clerics in promoting positive Islamic teachings is crucial. Pakistan should actively involve them on digital platforms to counter hate speech, sectarianism, and misuse of jihadist ideologies.
▪ Implementing a bottom-up approach is essential to instill positive values like tolerance and religious harmony from childhood. This necessitates revising the primary school curriculum.
▪Increasing awareness about digital terrorism requires government initiatives targeting youth through community engagement and development programs. Investing in digital literacy programs is crucial for equipping young minds with skills to combat cyber threats.
▪ Regulating social media is imperative. Pakistan should establish clear guidelines for social media content to prevent the dissemination of false information that could incite panic among the public.

Enhancing resistance to digital terrorism and safeguarding national security in Pakistan can be achieved through robust legislative frameworks, enhanced institutional capacity, fostering public-private collaborations, and investment in new technologies.

In conclusion, digital terrorism presents a complex and evolving threat that requires a comprehensive and coordinated response. Pakistan's national security increasingly depends on its capability to defend against cyber threats. Enhancing resistance to digital terrorism and safeguarding national security in Pakistan can be achieved through robust legislative frameworks, enhanced institutional capacity, fostering public-private collaborations, and investment in new technologies.

The writer is a distinguished scholar with an MPhil in International Relations, for which he was awarded a silver medal. Currently, he is pursuing a PhD in the same field at the University of Peshawar, advancing his expertise and research in Pak-Afghan relations.

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