EDITORIAL: In one of the bloodiest terrorist attacks on Sunday at least 55 people have died thus far and more than 150 others are injured because of a bomb explosion — suspected to be suicide bombing — that ripped through a gathering of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F)-organised rally as a prelude to elections expected later this year.
The death toll is feared to rise further as 3 of those wounded remain in a critical condition.
The militant group IS-K, which has been claiming credit for several attacks in Bajaur, including last June’s assassination of a party leader in Inayat Killi, also located in Bajaur, has claimed credit for this attack too.
Besides, on at least two occasions JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has had a lucky escape. The violent religious extremists target this Islamist party because it pays allegiance to the Constitution of Pakistan and contests elections, hence is seen to be weakening the argument for their distorted version of an Islamic state.
The involvement of the self-styled Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist outfit cannot be ruled out, either. Since its militants were allowed to return from their safe havens in Afghanistan to Pakistan and reintegrate into society under a dubious agreement, they have regrouped and established base of operations in the erstwhile tribal areas.
From there they have increasingly been launching attacks on the security forces as well as civilians. Earlier this year, a suicide bombing in a mosque inside Peshawar Police headquarters had left over a 100 people dead and scores of others wounded.
Notably, at first the TTP said it had carried out the attack, but later walked back from the claim, blaming it on a splinter faction, apparently, to allow plausible deniability to the Afghan Taliban. They have failed to fulfil their commitment not to allow use of Afghan soil for attacks into other countries, but apprehending international opprobrium and a backlash from Islamabad insist that all TTP militants are in Pakistan, not in Afghanistan. There is enough verifiable evidence, however, including UN reports, suggesting their presence in sanctuaries across the border in Afghanistan.
Those wanton killers of innocent people are also said to have access to sophisticated weapons left behind by the US-led NATO forces.
The Afghan Taliban are not expected to cut their symbiotic relationship with their ideological brothers, who also fought alongside them against the foreign forces. Islamabad needs to work together with other countries directly affected by what has turned Afghanistan into a centre of activities for all manner of terrorists, including TTP, IS-K, and al-Qaeda.
The people of this country have paid a heavy price for the ill-conceived policies of our rulers over the last few decades. Yet no lessons have been learnt. It was a big mistake to permit TTP militants return home. They have used the freedom to do what they know best, and thrive amid political instability. Our soldiers are bravely fighting to establish writ of the State in the tribal districts adjoining Afghan provinces.
However, combating terrorism is essentially dealt through effective intelligence gathering that requires having informers and agents within the ranks of terrorist groups. Incidents like this reflect the failure of our intelligence agencies and they need to double their efforts to ensure thwarting of such terrorist activity.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023