Spate of terrorists’ attacks
Mohammad Jamil
In the past two weeks, Pakistan has suffered a string of suicide attacks
that have killed more than 100 people. The Taliban has accepted the
responsibility for most terrorists’ attacks. On Thursday, approximately
25 militants dressed in police uniforms simultaneously attacked three
law enforcement agencies in Lahore-Manawan Police Academy, FIA building,
Elite Police training institute at Bedian road almost simultaneously.
Police officials said at least 26 deaths had been confirmed so far,
including 16 police officers, at least eight militants and two
civilians. In Kohat, a suicide bomber ploughed his car into the outer
wall of the police station in the town of Kohat leaving one police
official and 11 others dead. Some 20 others have also been wounded. In
Peshawar, several people were injured and a child was killed when a car
packed with explosives was parked at the scene, and that it was later
detonated by remote control. Apparently, there is change in the
techniques and methods employed in terrorists’ attacks, and since the
last week the focus is on fidaeen-type attack instead of suicide
attacks.
Only a few days back, army commandos aborted an attempt of the
terrorists on the General Headquarters Rawalpindi who had the plan to
take some senior military officials hostage to get the release of more
than 100 arrested terrorists. Eight of the terrorists, who stormed the
security office of the General Headquarters, were gunned down by the
commandos. Two were later killed to get the hostages freed from them.
Another terrorist - Aqeel alias Usman believed to be the mastermind of
the attack - was captured after being injured when he tried to set off
some explosives. The people shouted slogans in support of the army
across the country and called for action to be taken against militants.
TV news channels aired patriotic songs and saluted the sacrifices made
by soldiers who were martyred or injured in the operation against the
terrorists. Army personnel deserve all the superlatives for having
displayed exemplary military skill, courage, conviction and commitment
for having raided a building manning security staff at the gate of the
military’s General Head Quarters and freed 39 people that were held
hostage by the terrorists. Earlier, three hostages were also killed when
a militant wearing suicide jacket blew himself up.
Terrorists had struck the security check post and security office of the
GHQ. This is the place where many visitors wait to get the passes to
visit the officers in the GHQ. So-called experts in print and electronic
media also try to prove that there was security lapse on the grounds
that about four months ago Punjab CID had informed the government about
the plot. Anyhow it is up to the army to conduct an inquiry if there was
any security lapse, but it will not be wrong to say that it was duty of
the CID also to follow it up and trace the terrorists and planners.
Secondly, it has to be understood that without knowledge of the time and
place when the terrorists will strike, there is always an element of
surprise. Thirdly, just like the army and other intelligence outfits
continue improving their methods of intelligence-gathering and fighting
with the terrorists, the latter also learn new techniques and methods to
fight the state apparatus. Finally, it has to be borne in mind that
there can never be a foolproof system, and even the best of intelligence
agencies of the developed countries including the US cannot avert such
terrorists’ attacks.
There have been militants’ attacks on the best of the armies’ camps and
barracks in the world. It is a long list but it will suffice to mention
a few. On 18th April 1983, a suicide bomber exploded an explosives-truck
near the US military barracks at Beirut Airport killing 241 marines.
Minutes later, second bomb killed 58 French paratroopers at West Beirut.
On June 25, 1996, in Saudi Arabia a truck bomb exploded outside Khobar
Towers’ military complex killing 19 American servicemen and injuring
hundreds of others. In Iraq, terrorists had penetrated in Iraq’s
greenbelt and other military camps causing colossal loss of army
personnel. On 1st September 2004, the Beslan school hostage crisis began
when a group of armed terrorists, demanding an end to the Second Chechen
War, took more than 1,100 people hostage at School Number One (SNO) in
the town of Beslan, North Ossetia-Alania, an autonomous republic in the
North Caucasus region of the Russian Federation. On the third day of the
standoff, Russian security forces stormed the building using tanks,
thermo-baric rockets and other heavy weapons. A series of explosions
shook the school, followed by a fire which engulfed the building and a
gun battle between the hostage-takers and Russian security forces.
Ultimately, at least 334 hostages were killed, including 186 children.
Hundreds more were wounded or reported missing.
If an honest appraisal is made it is not difficult to reach the
conclusion that Pakistan army’s military prowess is better than their
counterparts in developed countries of the world. Take the case of
military operation against Lal Masjid, the recent operation in Swat and
Malakand or the action against the terrorists to free hostages from them
at security office of the GHQ, one would be amazed at the figures of the
collateral damage, which is lowest in the world. The CIA and RAW are
jealous, which is why they want the ISI be made ineffective. Last year,
as a first step they had tried to place ISI under interior ministry and
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had issued a notification to that
effect but it was withdrawn within hours due to the resistance by the
military top brass. Recently, British Home Secretary (interior minister)
Alan Johnson told reporters after meeting his Pakistani counterpart
Rehman Malik a few days ago, that Britain is keen to provide expertise
to Pakistan to help combat terrorism. The proposal is ludicrous because
the US and the West have utterly failed in Afghanistan, and their poor
performance in fighting terrorists speaks volumes about their so-called
expertise.
But it should be borne in mind that war against terror in Pakistan
cannot be won unless people come forward to inform the police or
security agencies’ personnel about suspicious characters in their street
or mohalla. The government should launch an awareness campaign so that
people in general and property dealers and house owners in particular do
not give any house to unknown or suspicious persons on rent.
Take the case of terrorists involved in attack on the GHQ, who had
rented a house in Rawalpindi, and when after the arrest of mastermind of
the terrorists, security agency personnel visited the area, the people
said that there used to be movement of cars and suspicious persons
during late hours of the night. The question is why they did not inform
the police or government agencies? It has to be mentioned that success
in Swat and Malakand Division was first of all due to the courage of the
armed forces, but it is also because of the support and cooperation of
the people in identifying the terrorists and extremists. Anyhow, there
is a redeeming feature that frequency of attacks by explosive-laden
vehicles has waned, which means that their sources for such vehicles and
suicide bombers are drying up.
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