Bin Laden Death: One Year Later, Terrorists Remain Dangerous in Pakistan

Editor's Note: This article has been published anonymously due to immediate security concerns. 

One year after Osama Bin Laden's death, has the threat of terrorism been defeated?

While there may not have been a major attack by Al Qaeda in the past year, the reality is that nothing has changed; in my country, Pakistani spy agencies are still busy preparing their newly-engineered forms of state-sponsored terrorism across the country. 

There are roughly 4 million well-organized militants in Pakistan, and the Pakistan Army has approximately 0.7 million soldiers. Militants are constantly changing their name, and new groups always emerge, but one thing is clear: Just like Bin Laden, many of the fighters operate under the watch of the Army, at Army General Headquarters near OBL's former home in Islamabad.

The people of Pakistan face the constant threat of bomb blasts, suicide attacks, targeted killings, abductions, and beheadings. Every day, dozens of innocent civilians are killed across the country. 

Law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, and the (partially) democratic government are unable to control the situation. Democratic political parties and civil society are always quick to demonstrate against terrorism and terrorist activities and the killing of innocents. 

There are approximately 180 million people living in Pakistan's four provinces, all under the constant threat of terror. Gilgit Baldistan was the only calm and peaceful area, but it is now burning in the fire of sectarian violence. 

In recent months, sectarian terrorist violence has claimed many precious lives. Karachi has been terrorized by a fascist terrorist organization responsible for killing working class people every day;the number of deaths in the last two years has reached 1,000. Baluchistan and its capital city Quetta is burning, and more than 100 innocent civilians have been killed in the last two months. Civilians cannot even access the main highways of the province. In the capital city of the province Peshawar, terrorist attacks are expected at a moment's notice. Terrorist groups and organizations attack public gathering points, educational institutes, and public playgrounds. 

The people of the country's tribal regions have no guarantees of their safety, as their tribal leadership has been targeted by unknown terrorists, resulting in an estimated 1200 deaths to day. These killed leaders are always blamed as agents of the Afghan Government and the U.S. civilians in this region rely on the protection of U.S. drones for their security, because there are wanted terrorists across the area. 

Recently, I received the news that the members of Quetta Shora, a well-known group of terrorists lost many members, after  one of the group's leaders, Mullah Ismail, was killed with his 25 guards after they had contacted Kabul to engage in peace talks. This shows how not only are civilians attacked in Pakistan, key members of groups trying to reach out to the government for peace are also targeted from the back.

Millions of militants are alive and active after Osama Bin Laden's death, and each group poses the threat of a mini Al Qaeda, dangerous to world peace.