The Pakistan Ex-Servicemen Association (PESA) on Wednesday expressed a deep shock and grief at the bombing attack in Quetta that left over 70 dead and over 100 seriously injured.
“At this hour of grief, PESA once again stands with the law community, with whom we had struggled for democracy during their movement for restoration of judiciary. The nation is looking up to them to provide a dynamic leadership that pulls Pakistan out from the present turmoil,” it said.
This was observed in an emergency meeting presided by PESA President Lt Gen (R) Ali Kuli Khan. Vice Admiral Ahmad Tasnim, Air Marshal Masood Akhtar, Lt Gen Naeem Akbar, Brig Mian Mahmud, Brig Arbi Khan, Brig Masud-ul-Hassan and others were also present on the occasion.
They said that such acts cannot take place in isolation, it reflects upon the inefficiency of police and civilian intelligence agencies that are primarily responsible for internal security.
These organisations have failed to perform their responsibilities as they have been totally politicised, they said, adding that under such circumstances, no organisation can deliver as senior officers are rotated form their jobs at whims of the rulers and shoulder promotions have become common for officers of the rank of DSP and below.
The civilian agencies that were supposed to make National Action Plan (NAP) a success have so far failed to bust even the home grown terrorist organisations like Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, they said, and added that their disappointing performance has forced the army chief to order combing operation in the entire country.
The former military strategists observed that hostile countries and their agents inside Pakistan have become very active to reverse the gains of operation Zarb-e-Azab and damage CPEC which required improved efforts and direction for counterterrorism initiatives.
They said that our government routinely blames RAW and other foreign agencies for such crimes, but has not come out in the open with evidence. On the other hand, India does not waste a single day to come out with stories of Pakistan’s involvement even in minor incidents.
The foreign office needs to be more active and effective, foreign minister and other special envoys should travel around the world to explain our case as merely reading out a note or giving letters to ambassadors is not enough, they concluded.