How the government handled the Karachi airport attack
The terrorists entering Quaid-e-Azam International Airport would not have been possible without serious security lapses. That a group of TTP activists could force their entry carrying rocket launchers, SMGs and other weapons through the VIP entrance is highly worrisome. It is surprising that none in position of authority in the Defence Ministry and other related departments cared to review the security arrangements at an entry point reserved for Pakistani and foreign dignitaries. Karachi is under attack from all types of terrorists for the last many years. The city is known to be harbouring hundreds of terrorists and an operation is being conducted against them for the last many months. One had expected that under the circumstances Karachi airport would be provided fool proof security.
The Airport Security Force personnel bore the brunt of the attack which caused the death of 11 ASF personnel. Along with the Rangers and Police, who lost one man each, the ASF fought the terrorists till the arrival of the army about an hour later. It was due to the combined efforts of civil and military forces that the terrorists failed to achieve their aims which included the destruction of all the airplanes present on the airport.
This was a big price in human terms. The fact that terrorists could hold a part of the airport for five hours would be widely interpreted as the government’s failure to protect sensitive targets from militant groups. The attack could weaken business confidence which had begun to perk up after the elections. The prime minister’s efforts to attract foreign airlines back to Pakistan too could suffer a blow.
Arguments had failed to persuade the government and the army that it was futile to differentiate between good and bad Taliban. Further that the terrorists could not be persuaded to join the mainstream till they were given a crushing defeat and left with no other option. The Karachi airport attack should lead the government to call off talks with the TTP which has brazenly owned it. There is a need, meanwhile, to fully concentrate on taking the fight to the TTP. Pakistan is currently trying to revive peace process with India. Anything that could sabotage the efforts being made by the prime minister should be avoided. The terrorists do not rely on weapons manufactured in Pakistan alone. They have freely used American, Chinese, Russian and Indian weapons. If the munition recovered from those who attacked the airport is of Indian origin, the best place to discuss the matter is the high level security meeting presided over by the prime minister rather than the electronic media.