By Aishma Gul
“AI is no longer science fiction—it’s the new soldier and strategist.”
The Global AI Race Meets Pakistan’s Security Challenges
Tech giants like China’s DeepSeek dominate headlines with AI tools that write novels or compose music. But in Pakistan’s volatile northwest and southwest, AI is being put to a much more serious use: saving lives. Predicting when a bomb blast or showing where a terrorist is hiding in a crowd, artificial intelligence has become a revolutionary tool in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan. Here’s how.
AI in Action: Soldiers, Algorithms, Side by Side
Predicting Attacks Before They Occur
In 2023, the Pakistan Army unveiled “Project CLAW”—a system that functions like a terrorism weather forecast. Through analysis of cellphone data (which has to be tightly controlled for privacy), previous attacks and satellite imagery, CLAW has identified areas in which militants are likely to leave behind bombs.
– Case Study: North Waziristan
In 2022, roadside bombs were responsible for 63% of security forces’ deaths in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). After CLAW was introduced, early raids cut IED explosions by 60% in high-risk areas (Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies).
Facial Recognition: Detecting Threats in Crowds
Under the “Safe City” program, Quetta and Peshawar now use AI-powered cameras that run face scans in real time, comparing them with databases of known militants — including in disguises.
– Result: In 2023, 47 suspected terrorists have been arrested at checkpoints where this tech was used (ISPR Report)
Social Media Sleuthing
Banned organizations such as the TTP utilize apps like Telegram to recruit youth. The military’s artificial intelligence now scans millions of posts, flagging violent content in Pashto and Balochi.
– Example: AI found a viral TTP recruitment song on TikTok in 2024. It was removed in less than 24 hours and arrested 12 accounts (Digital Rights Foundation).
The Dark Side of AI
Militants are using AI too, weaponizing it:
1. Deepfake Propaganda
In January 2024, a false video of a senior official confessing to crimes spread like wildfire in KP. It was shown to be AI-generated by forensic experts at PISA (Pakistan Institute of Security Affairs)
2. Encrypted AI Chatbots
The TTP now employs AI chatbots on encrypted applications such as Signal to train recruits. These bots respond to tactical questions(for example, how to build bombs) without human intermediaries.
3. AI Voice Cloning
Separatists in Balochistan used the voice of a popular politician to incite riots. The audio, which has been disproven by the FIA’s Cyber Crime Wing, nearly led to violence in Gwadar.
Challenges: Here’s Why AI Alone Cannot Win This War
Even though AI has been game-changing, it is not a magic bullet. Power shortages in remote areas like Shawal Valley disrupt systems during blackouts. Militants quickly adapt — for every AI tool that the Army deploys, they find loopholes. TTP recruits, for instance, now avoid cellphones in bomb-planting zones, returning to old-school tactics.
The Future: Drones, Smart Borders, and Winning Trust
In the future, the military envisions AI drones dropping supplies to troops in no-go zones and scanning mountain caves for militants. AI-enabled night-vision sensors along Balochistan’s borders will allow for cross-border movement. In KP’s tribal districts, for instance, projects like AI-powered schools are teaching coding to youth, empowering them to choose paths away from extremism to combat radicalization. As COAS Gen. Asim Munir put it in a 2024 speech: “Our fight isn’t just against terrorists—it’s for the future of our children.”
AI is changing how Pakistan fights terrorism—helping save lives but also raising important challenges. While militants use tech for harm, the military is focused on staying ahead—outsmarting and out-innovating them, while keeping the trust of the people they protect. In KP and Balochistan, one thing is clear: the future of security is driven by people, but powered by technology.