Pakistan’s 25-Year Struggle: Terrorism, Counter-Operations and Stalled Economic Gains

Reflecting on a quarter-century since the September 2001 attacks, the analyst argues that Pakistan emerged from nuclear-sanction isolation to become a frontline U.S. ally, earning major-non-NATO status but also enduring mistrust over drone strikes and the Abbottabad raid. Counter-terrorism campaigns—including Rah-i-Raast, Rah-i-Nijaat, Zarb-i-Azb and Raddul Fasaad—dislodged militants from Swat and former tribal districts, yet groups like the TTP, Al Qaeda and IS-K persist.

Economically, billions of dollars in U.S. assistance failed to spark lasting growth, with terrorism exacting heavy human and financial costs. Pakistan’s foreign policy shifted toward stronger partnerships with China, the Gulf and Türkiye, while its ties with Afghanistan remain problematic and India continues to press the terrorism narrative. The analysis concludes that counter-terrorism has become both a strength and a source of political imbalance, shaping the country’s security-centric governance and limiting its development prospects.