A bloody Ramzan

EDITORIAL:Daily Times

In what has to be the deadliest attack to target Pakistani Muslims in the holy month of Ramzan, a teenage suicide bomber blew himself up in Jamia Madina mosque in Jamrud, Khyber Agency, where more than 500 people were offering their Friday prayers. The official death toll has reached 51 with over a hundred badly injured. Blood stained mosque walls, Muslims killed during their mandatory weekly prayers and the holiest month in the Islamic calendar — one would have liked to believe that the militants, who claim to be the ‘true torchbearers’ of Islam, would not be up to their old tricks at this time. However, it seems that Ramzan has given them a warped licence to up the ante on their killing sprees.
The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for this bloody attack, which has left even helpless women and children dead. The suicide bomber was no more than 16 years of age, again verifying that these militant monsters will go to any lengths — including the recruiting of children for deadly bombings — to achieve their nefarious goals. But why this mosque? And why now?
To understand the tactics employed by the terrorists, one has to first understand the tactics used by the state (or lack thereof) in its ‘counter-terrorism’ methods. FATA is teeming with militant sanctuaries and pockets of their safe havens. The state has, so far, proved to be as competent as a sitting duck in eliminating the threat they represent. Frequently, the TTP targets mosques and other areas in FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to let the state and its citizenry know of their malicious presence. It is because of the lack of government presence and a military offensive against these elements that many of the tribal groups in FATA have armed themselves and formed lashkars (armed militias) to ward off the militants. In some cases, the Pakistan Army seems fine with this arrangement as these lashkars, they hope, will do the job for them. However, how effective pockets of lashkars can be against a well armed guerrilla enemy is anyone’s guess.
The Kukikhel tribe belongs to the Jamrud region in Khyber Agency, and it is here that this tribe has formed an armed lashkar that has shown stiff resistance to Taliban pressure. It is believed that the mosque was targeted to strike at the Kukikhel tribe to debilitate its counter-terrorism efforts. With over 50 people dead, the attack is a seething blow to anyone and any group trying to beat back the militants.
The TTP is a vile enemy. It cares not for religion, people or culture. It laughs in the face of religious ritual and obligation by blowing to smithereens houses and worshippers of God. Ironically, it slaughters Muslims in the name of Allah. While this bloody attack will definitely demoralise any individual efforts to stave off the terrorists, it is hoped that this tragic bloodshed will only serve to reinvigorate anti-terrorism efforts in this war.
It is imperative that the state becomes an equal party in beating back the terrorists. The government and the military/intelligence establishment need to renew their efforts. Whilst the lashkars have proven to be enough of a threat to the TTP to make them attack their mosques and lands in these cruel ways, it is the responsibility of the state to launch a full throttle offensive against the militants. This will mean reinvigorating and increasing intelligence and not only relying on tribal folk to look after their own. All the same, lashkars such as those belonging to the Kukikhel tribe must be fully supported by the state so that they keep playing their role to ward off the terror threat. Countering this monster requires determined efforts from all sides.