Peshawar blast security failure of provincial govt.

PESHAWAR: The City is still tense and people were in state of insecurity after the Saturday’s car-bomb blast which caused not only human loss but also damaged scores of buildings on Fakher-e-Alam road. The blast at front of the Askari Bank in Peshawar was, of course, meant to do damage. But on top of the immediate casualties, it was the psychological blow to Peshawarites. The people prefer to remain inside their homes rather to go out for shopping at busy areas. The normal rush at the weekly Sunday bazaar was also not seen this week where usually people go for their kitchen shopping. The shopping malls, markets and bazaar in different localities of the city were giving deserted look even after the five days of Saddar blast. Peshawar suicide car-bomb attack was alleged the establishment for failing to provide security to common man.It is also important that no close-circuit camera was installed there even it was in a highly security zone. It occurred due to the absence of an intelligence framework, poor planning and a failure to devise a responsive deployment pattern in order to counter the challenge of suicide attacks, keeping in view this was a second blast at the same place, the security experts were opined. It merits mentioning here that the spokesman of the provincial government in a press briefing had confessed that the miscreants have managed a safe route to achieve their target as twice they have crossed all security checks in the same vicinity. The place where the car-bomb went off, was in a highly security zone as number of sensitive buildings and offices were situated. Besides, Askari Bank which badly damaged after it was been targeted where mostly the security forces personnel visit for their bank accounts, the State Bank also situated near there, Combined Military Hospital which is just few yards away, the Corp. Headquarter and US Consulate were at the distance of few hundred yards, private Radio Station and other important offices were also situated on the Fakher-e-Alam Road. It is high time that the law enforcing agencies should revise their security deployment paradigm and modify their standard operating procedures for deployment of the force which has become a soft target ‘in the form of sitting ducks’ for the potential attacks. The police can also make different security rings inner, outer and outer most ones that may provide security coverage to much larger area and can also save human resources. Experienced police officers opine that this is the time, that smart deployment instead of heavy deployment should become the norm and not the exception in current environment for deployment of Reserves or Platoons. Further these reserves or platoons should always be kept at a safe distance from the venue in order to provide quick response in times of an emergency. The citizens have termed the recent blast a security lapse and have directed the government to ensure installation of security cameras in important buildings and chowks besides raising a special security force to avert such incidents in future. People termed it a failure of intelligence agencies while condemning the incident. It was a clear proof of security lapse as provincial government no longer capable of protecting the citizens, they remarked. Almost all the promises of provincial government have been proved false, and they have disappointed everyone in every way and nothing has been achieved in these months. Whatever it is, the ANP provincial government has failed to fulfill its duties and they seem to be in total loss and chaos, they added. The traders also worried what they call the government's failure to curb the increasing incidents of abduction. They said suicide attack, bomb blasts, rockets attacks and several kidnappings for ransom have ruined their business and business community badly suffered by the deteriorating law and order situation in the provincial metropolis.