At least twenty eight people, including an MPA Imran Mohmand who was elected as an independent and later joined Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI), were killed and 57 other injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a funeral in Sher Ghar area near Mardan. Imran Mohmand went to attend the funeral of Haji Abdullah, a local patrol pump owner shot dead the previous day by unknown gunmen. He is the second PTI lawmaker to be killed this month in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the party leads a coalition provincial government. On 2nd June, Fareed Khan MPA elect was killed in a deadly attack in Hangu district of KPK. Under the circumstances there was no room for laxity, but 148 check posts were reportedly removed in KPK. One would not know if it was done on the orders of the KPK government or it was police's initiative.
If the check posts were removed on the instruction of PTI-led government, the question is what its leaders were trying to prove. Do they think that terrorists would not strike because of Imran Khan's consistent stance for holding talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban and renouncing the use of force against the militants? According to media reports, security check-posts were dismantled in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after improvement of security situation in the restive province. Authorities say police are ready to take full control of the scenic Swat valley after the military withdrawal. It is pertinent to point out that KPK's ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had announced during its election campaign to remove check posts causing difficulties to the masses. Hundreds of security posts were earlier set up in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to establish writ of the state and curb militancy.
In Pakistan, one of the reasons for the increase in militancy is that some political and religious parties had been pressurizing the PPP-led government to enter into dialogue with the militants involved in or behind the acts of terrorism and suicide bombings. In the NWFP, Awami National Party (ANP) had won election in 2008 with thumping majority in the province and particularly in Dir and Swat. It means the party had the backing of the people, but ANP leadership did not keep contact with their power base, and thus Taliban intruded into their constituency. The ANP government had agreement with the TTP, but Fazlullah and Sufi Muhammad used that agreement to consolidate their position. In 2009, once again an agreement was reached between the government and Fazlullah and Sufi Muhammad; but they declared that they did not accept democracy, the Constitution and judicial system of Pakistan.
PML-N, PTI and JI always insisted on holding talks with the militants without delineating the parameters of the talks, and with whom to hold the talks.
As the PTI formed coalition government with JI in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, it is to be seen how they will deal with the challenge to their writ in KP. The problem is that the TTP had offered to hold talks with the government, but later withdrew their offer after TTP's second-in-command Wali-ur-Rehman was killed in a drone attack. Since Pakistan has been vociferously demanding of America to stop drone strikes, the TTP was not justified to in withdrawing the talks' offer. In fact, the TTP never gave any practical gesture by renouncing violence, which proved that it was not serious in holding talks for peace in the restive province.
It is, indeed, the responsibility of the government to protect the lives and properties of the people which is clearly stated in the Constitution of Pakistan. For this purpose, there is need for putting in place a counter-terrorism strategy. Anyhow, instead of taking the terrorists head on, a debate in the National Assembly and the Senate is raging as to how to bring the security apparatus and intelligence agencies under civilian and parliamentary control.
In the National Assembly, Chief of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and MNA Mehmood Khan Achakzai said time had come to take the establishment head on. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan admitted in the Senate that terrorist attacks on Ziarat Residency and Bolan Medical Complex in Quetta were result of "serious security lapse" and "lack of coordination" between security and law enforcement agencies. It has to be mentioned that more than five thousands military personnel including high ranking officers have been martyred; they should be appreciated and not be pushed against the wall.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Suicide attack in Mardan
At least twenty eight people, including an MPA Imran Mohmand who was elected as an independent and later joined Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI), were killed and 57 other injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a funeral in Sher Ghar area near Mardan. Imran Mohmand went to attend the funeral of Haji Abdullah, a local patrol pump owner shot dead the previous day by unknown gunmen. He is the second PTI lawmaker to be killed this month in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the party leads a coalition provincial government. On 2nd June, Fareed Khan MPA elect was killed in a deadly attack in Hangu district of KPK. Under the circumstances there was no room for laxity, but 148 check posts were reportedly removed in KPK. One would not know if it was done on the orders of the KPK government or it was police's initiative.
If the check posts were removed on the instruction of PTI-led government, the question is what its leaders were trying to prove. Do they think that terrorists would not strike because of Imran Khan's consistent stance for holding talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban and renouncing the use of force against the militants? According to media reports, security check-posts were dismantled in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after improvement of security situation in the restive province. Authorities say police are ready to take full control of the scenic Swat valley after the military withdrawal. It is pertinent to point out that KPK's ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had announced during its election campaign to remove check posts causing difficulties to the masses. Hundreds of security posts were earlier set up in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to establish writ of the state and curb militancy.
In Pakistan, one of the reasons for the increase in militancy is that some political and religious parties had been pressurizing the PPP-led government to enter into dialogue with the militants involved in or behind the acts of terrorism and suicide bombings. In the NWFP, Awami National Party (ANP) had won election in 2008 with thumping majority in the province and particularly in Dir and Swat. It means the party had the backing of the people, but ANP leadership did not keep contact with their power base, and thus Taliban intruded into their constituency. The ANP government had agreement with the TTP, but Fazlullah and Sufi Muhammad used that agreement to consolidate their position. In 2009, once again an agreement was reached between the government and Fazlullah and Sufi Muhammad; but they declared that they did not accept democracy, the Constitution and judicial system of Pakistan.
PML-N, PTI and JI always insisted on holding talks with the militants without delineating the parameters of the talks, and with whom to hold the talks.
As the PTI formed coalition government with JI in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, it is to be seen how they will deal with the challenge to their writ in KP. The problem is that the TTP had offered to hold talks with the government, but later withdrew their offer after TTP's second-in-command Wali-ur-Rehman was killed in a drone attack. Since Pakistan has been vociferously demanding of America to stop drone strikes, the TTP was not justified to in withdrawing the talks' offer. In fact, the TTP never gave any practical gesture by renouncing violence, which proved that it was not serious in holding talks for peace in the restive province.
It is, indeed, the responsibility of the government to protect the lives and properties of the people which is clearly stated in the Constitution of Pakistan. For this purpose, there is need for putting in place a counter-terrorism strategy. Anyhow, instead of taking the terrorists head on, a debate in the National Assembly and the Senate is raging as to how to bring the security apparatus and intelligence agencies under civilian and parliamentary control.
In the National Assembly, Chief of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and MNA Mehmood Khan Achakzai said time had come to take the establishment head on. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan admitted in the Senate that terrorist attacks on Ziarat Residency and Bolan Medical Complex in Quetta were result of "serious security lapse" and "lack of coordination" between security and law enforcement agencies. It has to be mentioned that more than five thousands military personnel including high ranking officers have been martyred; they should be appreciated and not be pushed against the wall.
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