A sad day, a black day
If there was an iota of doubt left in anyone’s mind about the nefarious agenda of the terrorists, Saturday’s dastardly attack that took the lives of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Senior Minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour and eight others should prove more than an eye opener. One might even term it a clarion call for a united stand against the forces of darkness which succeeded in silencing a voice that rose above all others among the political cadre in vocalising for the cause against terrorism. What makes this incident even worse lies in what it brings to sharp relief, yet again: how badly the state – its security, law enforcement and intelligence setups – has failed in providing a fundamental right, that of safety and security of life, to its citizens.
“We are ready to kill or be killed in this battle for peace”, is what Bashir Bilour had said when he made a case for the ownership of this war against terrorism. Being outspoken was surely his hallmark but it proved to be a thorn in the terrorists’ side. One might question the security and intelligence level offered for the protection of such a high profile public figure whom the terrorists had already marked, and he had already survived two assassination attempts. The terrorists in Darra Adam Khel, along with the TTP, were quick in claiming the responsibility of the attack, a sort of slap in the face to the security apparatus.
KP has been the go-to area for the terrorists over the last decade. As the security and intelligence agencies gained an insight as to how they could tackle this menace, the terrorists have also improvised their tactics in the same period. What remains constant, though, is the suicide attack, just like the one which killed Bilour, to which no singular safety measure has proven to be worthwhile. Even then, it is obvious that militants have become way more brazen, intense and more precise in their tactics. From attack on GHQ to attack on Malala, from attacks on anti-polio teams to fatal attacks on politicians, they surely have grown considerably in their influence and reach.
Part of the blame lies with the politicians themselves, for they have not been vocal in condemning the militants. Some of them tacitly, and some openly, divide them into good and bad militants, thus offering them a chance to squirm away from any legal and political ramifications. It is ditto for the security establishment. Peace talks, ceasefires, jirgas, these all are nothing but stalling tactics for them, ironically offered by the government itself. If the government is really serious about handling this issue, it should start from within. Mind you, the validity of this ‘if’ will become highly dubious if no concrete steps are taken immediately. Changing the mindset of politicians and security establishment would be a good start.
