The security situation in the country has been turbulent over the past decade or so. Militants and terrorists have had a free run as our security regimen has had to face problems of its own, varying from capacity development to a change in attitude. Over the years, militants have evolved their tactics in step with the security and law enforcement agencies’ use of latest techniques and equipment. But one thing that has remained a headache for LEAs is the suicide attacks. Seemingly, no method has proven useful in stopping these attacks.
The one that took place yesterday in Peshawar, a city that has been a perpetual target for the terrorists, took away the lives of 14 people and injured 31. Terrorists have once again proven how fragile our security network is. It was a suicide attack on a funeral gathering – that’s how low the terrorists are willing to go to achieve their agenda. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has taken responsibility for the attack. Perhaps, the target was Deputy Speaker of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly who was also attending the funeral but left only minutes before the explosion. Any government in this troubled province would have been totally stressed out, but the incumbent Awami National Party government in KP, has not only been strained in terms of the resources it has on its hand and the number of such attacks it has to face, but also because it seems to be the only political party in the country with a consistently unequivocal stance against extremism and terrorism.
Better equipment, modern training, capacity building, a mandate to tackle the terrorists on their own and government’s backing of the LEAs through proper legislation is what we need on the security front. While the security apparatus can work only as well as it has been trained, the menace of terrorism cannot be ended with security measures alone. Unless the mindset that breeds these militants is changed, we have no chance of pulling this country out of the direction it is currently taking. This is something the political, academic and religious cadres of the country can work towards together.
