pakistan is in the throes of an internal upheaval as repeated acts of terrorism strike the nation. The latest attack has taken place close to Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab and the number two city in Pakistan after Karachi. The attack took place on the Ferozepur –Lahore road which is a busy road. DIG, Operations Dr Haider Ashraf has confirmed that at least 26 people have been killed in the suicide attack. It is also reported that the dead included 9 police personnel from the Punjab police. This is not all as over 60 persons have been injured and admitted to various hospitals in the city with many of them in critical condition.
There is a chance that the death toll may go up. The bomb squad has confirmed that the cause of the mayhem was a bomb, reported CNN International.
Suicide bomber
The suicide bomber arrived on a motorcycle and targeted police personnel at the Arfa Karim, IT tower. The police were at full strength as they were assisting in an anti-encroachment drive when the suicide bomber struck. The swiftness of the attack took the police by surprise. The names of the dead are so far not announced as many bodies are not in a fit condition to be identified.
Flawed policy
The attack took the authorities by surprise and is a result of the flawed policy of the Pakistan government and the Inter- Services intelligence that there are Good And Bad terrorists.
The ISI has been nurturing terrorist camps as confirmed by the CIA, to attack India. In addition, Pakistan is backing a section of the Taliban called the Haqqani faction which is committing terrorist acts in Afghanistan. However, the terrorists are a seamless commodity and now they have turned against the Pakistan state.
Many of the terrorists believe in the Wahhabi doctrine that wants Pakistan to follow the pristine form of the Sharia and become a part of the Islamic Caliphate.
Pakistan is a comparative liberal society compared to other Muslim nations and its constitution protects the rights of the minorities. This is not acceptable to the hardliners who hope to bring about a change with acts of terrorism.
Introspection
The PM Nawaz Sharif has condemned the attack and so has the army chief, General Bajwa.
But both these worthies need to look inwards and see that these attacks are a result of their policy to support terror leaders like Azar Masood and JKLF leader Amanullah Khan who was recently declared a global terrorist by the USA.
