National security and the interior ministry
Ch Nisar’s choice of words, at least, did not inspire much confidence when, four days after the Peshawar tragedy, he said time had finally come to make national security the top priority. The prime minister’s statement Monday – vowing to fight a “decisive war”, etc – was equally unimpressive and devoid of concrete policy direction. First, the government needed a week to prepare a national security policy despite being at war for more than a decade. And now, the N league reeks of the same regressive mindset that has been cause for most of its problems. Neither Nawaz nor his senior ministers seem to realise that their speeches do not sit well with the people, especially when their demands for action are not being addressed.
The executions, too, have triggered complications. Two high courts have suspended death penalties of two terrorists each. And since two is a trend, it seems there are going to be legal problems that will have to be addressed. There are indications that the trials were rushed, which would imply proper procedures might have been bypassed. The security establishment is no stranger to legal loopholes in cases involving the most dangerous terrorists. But if there is some truth to rumours, that short cuts were found instead of legal solutions, then there might be more to contend with yet before the fight against the Taliban can advance. No doubt the government machinery is already working on this front. These terrorists must not be allowed recourse to legal jugglery to wriggle out of the death penalty.
Such a situation would require the prime minister to be more hands-on than usual. So far, he has been behind the curve on most issues. But after Peshawar, he does not have any excuses. Political agitation has been withdrawn. And the deaths of our children, and the tens of thousands who have perished in this war, demand swift and strong justice. Ch Nisar, too, will have to brush up the interior ministry. He would often know when terrorists infiltrated the capital during the dharna, but Peshawar slipped by the security apparatus. Even now, there is more talk than action. It is hoped that the working committee advising the PM has been more circumspect and thorough.
