The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recently released a list of 51 female terrorists in the province. According to CTD, 31 female terrorists were involved in terrorist activities: 13 in kidnapping for ransom, 2 in financial extortion, and 3 in target killings. The province’s cultural values and traditions make it more difficult for CTD and other intelligence and law enforcement agencies to apprehend these women terrorists. Throughout the world, men are very protective regarding their women, and like all cultures, it is well known that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a modest society, and the Islamic teachings and values of Pashtunwali uphold the sanctity of the woman in an extraordinary way. Hence, TTP’s misuse of women for terrorist activities is against their sanctity as mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters in culture and social norms, including Islam and Pashtunwali.

Militant outfits have martyred 84 thousand Pakistanis in bomb blasts and suicide attacks. A large number of women are among the direct victims, while they also suffer heavily due to the loss of male family members.

Terrorist and violent extremist ideologies are also conducting propaganda to glorify women as warriors in the name of false Jihad to bring more women into their fold to oppress them further.

Moreover, the exploitation of female recruits for terrorism assists militant leaders to cover up their unlawful activities in society. Women are often exempted from physical search; hence, they are very effective for moving explosive materials. In addition, the presence of female members in a terrorist hideout gives it the appearance of a normal household, avoiding suspicion. Therefore, TTP militants have resorted to the exploitation of females for terrorist activities in complete disregard for Pashtunwali values.

In the ethics of Islam’s conduct of war, the killing of women is prohibited even while waging legitimate Jihad against enemies. To the contrary, TTP leaders threaten Muslim women in their audio and video messages openly, and they also distribute letters in society to create an environment of intimidation for them. They have engaged in serious misconduct that violates the sanctity of female members of society. Attaining knowledge is an obligation for every man and woman in Islam. On the other hand, TTP is against girls’ empowerment through education, and it destroyed hundreds of schools to keep women backward. This threatening posture against female members of society also violated the values of Pushtunwali, in complete disregard for traditions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Terrorist outfits glorify women for bravery in their propaganda campaigns, as these anti-social elements need brides for their leaders and operatives. Militant leaders have exploited Muslim women for sinful sexual gratification. All women in terrorist outfits become victims of forced marriages, whereas militants have also killed each other over the issue of marriage. Thus, perpetual oppression is the fate of women in militant organisations like Al-Qaeda, ISIS, TTP, and ISKP. In the oppression against women, ISIS crossed all limits; it kidnapped women, raped them, and imposed sexual slavery on them. Ironically, international women trafficking networks became its partners in crimes, and Muslim women went through the worst in Iraq and Syria at the hands of ISIS leadership.

Suicide is unlawful in Shariah, and a suicide attack is a heinous crime, as six thousand muftis have declared in Paigham-e-Pakistan a unanimous Fatwa against terrorism.

Unfortunately, terrorists also abuse women for suicide bombings. ISIS exploited women for suicide bombings in Iraq and Syria extensively, while Al-Qaeda, TTP, and ISKP have also perpetrated a few female suicide attacks in Pakistan. Hence, terrorist leaders destroyed the lives of these unfortunate women, and they forced them to commit a sinful crime punishable in hell. Islamic scholars also contend that suicide bombings are the worst type of suicide because the person who commits them bears responsibility for the sins of the many Muslims he has killed as a result of terrorism.

Terrorism is unacceptable everywhere in the world as it is an inherently anti-people tactic of fear and intimidation that is not tolerable for a rational, peaceful mind, and forcing a woman to commit suicide bombing is the worst form of exploitation in this regard. Al-Qaeda perpetrated the first female suicide attack in Pakistan in 2010, when a veiled female bomber hit the food distribution centre in Bajaur. Since then, TTP has misused a few women for suicide bombings in the country. The disturbing propaganda campaign of terrorists and the glorification of suicide bombings is a blatant violation of Islamic teachings. Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and TTP are religiously misleading violent ideologies. Moreover, some secular terrorist outfits also conduct suicide attacks, and religious motives are not solely liable for violent extremism. The Baloch Liberation Army exploited two women, Shari Baloch and Sumaiya Baloch, for suicide attacks recently. These depressing and hopeless militants only promote desperation and suicide in women.

As a matter of fact, Muslim girls are brought up in a very healthy and secure family environment in Pakistan; even imagining such mistreatment of women by terrorist leaders would be a horrible thought for them. Therefore, they should stay away from deceptive militant propaganda, and they should also protect their male family members from developing any sympathies for perpetrators of murders in suicide attacks in Pakistan. In this regard, they must consult the Paigham-e-Pakistan edict, and they should promote a culture of cooperation with security forces for the arrest of terrorists and their leaders in the country.