The suicide terrorist threat in Pakistan.

In the wake of US led War on Terror, Pakistan became one of the prime victims of suicide terrorism. In the year 2007, Pakistan was described as world's third worst-hit country by the suicide attacks after Iraq and Afghanistan. In the cases of Afghanistan and Iraq, there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that the phenomenon of suicide attacks has been primarily motivated by the presence of foreign forces in these two Muslim countries. But if there is no foreign occupation in Pakistan, why has the country become a hunting ground for the "death squads"? Is this really a manifestation of rising Islamic extremism in Pakistan, or an expression of revenge against the government's countermeasures that are perceived to be extensive? Is suicide bombing a strategy used by desperate militant groups against a stronger enemy, or a phenomenon motivated by extreme poverty and sense of deprivation? Why the suicide attacks are becoming the most dominant tactic among various modus operandi utilized by the terrorist organizations in Pakistan? My paper seeks to develop an understanding of the complicated phenomenon of suicide terrorism in Pakistan. The paper is primarily focused on exploring the motivating factors and the actors behind suicide terrorism in Pakistan.Master of Science (Strategic Studies