Laxity enfeebles Pakistan security

The ease with which prisoners were freed shows that jail was not adequately secured


Nearly 400 prisoners were freed from a jail in northwest Pakistan early yesterday after the prison was attacked by militants with grenades and guns. A significant proportion of those freed from the jail near the Afghan border were militants and the escapees included one who was on death row for his role in a plot to assassinate former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf.
The raid was brazen and carries all of the hallmarks of the Taliban. It is a huge blow to the security forces of Pakistan who face a determined and resourceful enemy within their borders. The ease with which the prisoners were freed clearly shows that security arrangements at the jail were inadequate both in size and scale. Failing to adequately secure prisoners or to protect the perimeter, thereby allowing a determined group of attackers to succeed, reflects very poorly on the prison and security officers.
The jailbreak also undermines security forces' efforts in protecting Pakistan from such actions. They are clearly inadequate in the face of an enemy that seemingly can attack with ease at a time and place of its choosing. The attack provides further evidence to hawks who support the use of unmanned drones in Pakistan. And that is regrettable