How unfortunate it is that Nanga Parbat climber massacre suspect has managed to escape prison. This militant was accused of killing as many as 10 foreign climbers in far north in 2013. According to media reports, Habibur Rehman managed to escape from prison in Gilgit in the early hours of Friday morning, along with another inmate held over a different attack on security forces. Two other prisoners tried to escape with them, but one was recaptured and the other, also accused over the Nanga Parbat massacre, was killed.
That this major escape has taken place during the course of a high-profile National Action Plan (NAP) against terrorism is a sardonic comment on our government's ability to deal with the growing menace of extremism and terrorism in an effective and meaningful manner. Hence there is a need for taking all the required steps with a view to avoiding the repeat of this or similar incidents in future.