- Electoral security measures need beefing up
The country has borne the brunt of the war on terror for two decades, and none has endured it more heroically than Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and the former tribal areas. Following operations by security forces, the frequency and intensity of terror attacks dipped sharply and TTP, whose leader was eliminated in a recent US drone strike, seemed on the run. Two deadly terror attacks in KP and one in Balochistan this week, involving political aspirants of ANP, JUI-F and Balochistan Awami Party have woken people to the harsh reality that TTP, despite its setbacks, is still capable of striking bitter blows. With the July 25 election campaign in full swing and candidates interacting daily with voters, the caretaker government will have to enhance its security plan to foil terrorist sabotage and protect the brave souls participating in the political process. Complacency, lowering the guard and relaxing strict vigilance, have to be shunned, as also momentary negligence and lapses.
The National Counter Terrorism Authority on Monday warned the Senate of militant death threats against some leaders, including PTI’s Imran Khan and ANP’s Asfandayar Wali Khan, and sure enough on Tuesday, ANP’s Haroon Bilour, brave son of Bashir Bilour, also martyred by the TTP in December 2012, lost his life in a suicide bombing in Peshawar along with 21 other innocents, with over 60 wounded. Two incidents occurred yesterday, the IED explosion near the convoy of senior JUI-F leader Akram Durrani, who miraculously survived the assassination attempt, but four people were not so lucky, and 39 were wounded, and the suicide bomber attack targeting BAP leader Siraj Raisani’s corner meeting in Mastung, resulting in his tragic death, with at least 15 other fatalities and over 25 wounded, so far. These terror attacks will no doubt demoralise, but will not weaken the political parties’ firm resolve of participating in Election 2018, but one is still left lamenting the former government’s indifference in implementing the comprehensive National Action Plan. Still, the interim setup cannot evade its top priority of ensuring candidates’ safety.