The anniversary of 9/11 reminds us that terrorism is not a relic of the past; it is a shape-shifting threat that continues to haunt nations, especially those like Pakistan that were thrust into the frontline of a war they did not start. In the aftermath of that day, Pakistan became a non-NATO ally, a designation that brought both strategic burden and moral ambiguity. The fallout was swift and brutal: the very groups once seen as proxies turned inward, and the country was plunged into a nightmare that lasted more than a decade.

The Lal Masjid siege in 2007 marked a turning point. It shattered the illusion that militancy could be contained or negotiated with. What followed was a relentless wave of violence — suicide bombings, sectarian killings and attacks on schools, shrines and security f

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