Potential turning point
The Punjab government must be extra careful while investigating the church bombings and the public lynching that followed. Public confidence generated after the Peshawar school attack is clearly shaking. The government took more time making tall promises than initiating effective changes on the ground. Therefore people have now started taking the law into their own hands. And the result was so gruesome that the interior minister (rightly) called it the worst form of terrorism. If not handled with the greatest care, this could prove to be the precursor to a far stronger show of defiance.
This should, therefore, be a moment of reflection for the government. The Sharifs have become known for ordering inquiries and promising action, yet little changes with every terrorist attack. But if the Lahore rage sets a new precedent, the government will find it very difficult to keep it from snowballing. What can follow, if things are not handled properly, can not only cause damage to life and property, but also choke the economy, bringing multiple sufferings to the people.
But what can the government really do to make sure such incidents are not repeated? For one thing, it must make sure that its rhetoric about the National Action Plan is backed by solid action. The police force needs an overhaul. It just cannot cope with terrorism in its present state. And the people have no confidence in it; which is why they stood by helplessly as mobs went on the rampage. And agencies must also shape up. What’s the use of having more than thirty intelligence agencies if information cannot be passed on time? How many times can the government cut a sorry figure because it was unable to act on information on time? And, most importantly, it must be seen taking action. Those responsible for the church attacks as well as street violence must face the full force of the law. The fight against terrorism will not be won if the people are out tearing the streets apart. This is a very serious moment for the country, and even more so for the government.