Peshawarites in state of shock, mourn deaths.

PESHAWAR: The City is in grip of mourn, fear and panic on the second day of Peepal Mandi’s deadly blast which claimed 107 lives and left more than 170 injured. All the city bazaars, markets and shopping centers were remained closed following the three day mourning announced by the traders. The Wednesday blast was a tragic episode of current wave of terror as majority of the blast victims were women and children whereas among injured there is also a large number of women and children who were struggling for thier lives on hospital beds. Poor Peshawarites who were still in state of shock of Khyber bazaar’s car-bomb blast and had barely heaved sigh of relief before the suicide bombers struck again on Wednesday to wreak havoc, which was the fifth blast in a month. Wednesday’s deadly devastating car-blast in Peepal Mandi that claimed 107 precious lives, injured over 170 innocent masses with dozens critically injured, were once again a horrifying exhibition of evil’s impulse for bloodshed. At the same time, this tragic episode of deaths invites our slothful security institutions for a reality check. The people strongly criticised the provincial government’s security lapses which had led to an abject failure to protect the lives and property of citizens. They alleged that security lapses were taking place largely due to the fact that the state security apparatus like the police and other law enforcing agencies had become a tool of the government functionaries and were being used only to protect ministers and other government officials whereas the common people were left on the evil designs of terrorists. It is the fifth blast in City in a month which has exposed glaring flaws in the ‘stringent’ security measures and indicates that the high-sounding rhetoric of our provincial government regarding complete pulverisation of terrorists is divorced from the reality. The people were complained that it was very evident from the security measures during quite sometimes that certain loopholes were left as bomb lasts were continued without intervals. They said that beefed up security steps only served half the purpose whereas the terrorists whenever planned they achieved their targets. The fifth blast in a month also raised some pertinent questions regarding efficiency and competency of law enforcement agencies. The facts that a suicide bomber managed to enter the provincial capital without being hindered or checked with hundreds of kilograms explosive material in vehicles and blew such vehicles in the much crowded place and heart of City invite a series of questions.