Pakistan and Fourth Generation Warfare

Abstract

Fourth Generation Warfare (4GW) is a blend of all previous three types of war being employed by non – state actors. Some scholars associate it with Guerrilla war or insurgency. New age technology and communication system are essential part of propaganda involved in 4GW.It is a type of unconventional warfare. This analytical paper identifies types of 4GW tactics which are being employed by nonstates actors in Pakistan. Pakistan government and its military are facing great difficulty and challenge to counter this type of warfare as army is trained for fighting conventional war. In order to fight 4GW with full force conventional military should adopt and incorporate “non-kinetic means” or unconventional means which includes, psychological warfare, cyber warfare, urban and guerrilla tactics. Media and academia can play significant role in creating awareness about 4GW in masses