NAP’s the key
There’s a problem in Punjab that can no longer be overlooked if Zarb-e-Azb is to run its course till the complete elimination of terrorists “of all hues and colours”. And that is a security loophole that the enemy can so obviously squeeze through at will. Hopefully, therefore, the DG Khan attack on MNA Sardar Khosa’s political office will finally make the federal and Punjab governments do what Col Shuja Khanzada’s recent assassination could not – take the bull by the horns in Punjab. The province is infested with sectarian outfits with long associations with TTP. And the game plan to take the fight to them seems missing so far.
Once again a high profile hit went undetected. Intelligence and security agencies – which number in the dozens – again failed to pick up chatter in the weeks and months leading up to the attack. And the on ground police force, typically, could not intercept various bomb parts as they were smuggled for assembly into DG Khan. Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif was quick to wave his fist and promise annihilation of all terrorists, but there is little quantifiable progress. For the moment there seems little on the ruling party’s agenda except bitter political mudslinging – within and outside the party.
The problem remains the government’s paralysis with regard to the National Action Plan (NAP). Unfortunately it did not take long for the enthusiasm inspired by the Peshawar attack to fizzle out. In fact, soft-peddling on NAP will leave the administration somewhat embarrassed as the tragedy’s anniversary approaches. Fortunately, the military component of Zarb-e-Azb is going as well as can be expected, which gives the government precious elbow room. It might just still make up for its complacency if it approaches the matter with full seriousness now. At stake is not just Pakistan’s future, but the N-league’s also, as voters are more aware by the day, and the next general election is not all that far.
