THE nation was shocked as terror hit the Federal Capital on Tuesday after a hiatus of three years, triggering world-wide condemnation of the dastardly attack and growing demand for a decisive action to root out the menace wherever it comes from.
A suicide bomber detonated explosives outside the G-11 District Judicial Complex in Islamabad, martyring twelve people including lawyers and police personnel and injuring dozens others. According to police sources, the suicide bomber tried to enter the courtroom to cause maximum casualties but the alert police personnel thwarted his attempt and the bomber detonated explosives near a police vehicle. The blast occurred when Islamabad was hosting several international events, including the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference and the 6th Margalla Dialogue, while a tri-nation cricket series featuring Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe was underway, with a match in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
The G-11 tragedy came as the law enforcing agencies were clearing the premises of the Cadet College Wana, which was stormed by Khawarij in an APS Peshawar like attack, but a rapid and decisive operation not only saved lives of hundreds of students and teachers but also led to elimination of four Khawarij and a suicide bomber. The very fact that the Islamabad suicide bombing has been claimed by outlawed terrorist outfit Fitna-al-Khawarij (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan – TTP) speaks volumes about Afghan and Indian nexus. The TTP, enjoying total support of the Kabul regime, has threatened to carry out more attacks and Pakistan has vowed to present evidence of its involvement and its facilitation by the Taliban Government before mediators, who are still working behind the scene to make Afghanistan and Pakistan agree on a broader peace plan. The Wana and Islamabad attacks have raised the ante as these show total indifference of the Afghan Taliban to Pakistan’s genuine security concerns and demands for effective cooperation and coordination to deal a decisive blow to the menace of terrorism.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has declared that investigations into the Islamabad and Wana incidents will continue, concrete evidence will be shared with partner countries and international bodies, and a course of action will be drawn up once further proof of involvement is obtained and the culprits will be exposed before the world. This makes the future scenario more predictable as Kabul is in no mood to respond positively to the legitimate concerns of Pakistan, which are backed by the mediators and almost all members of the civilized world. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was more vocal as he warned on Tuesday that attacks on terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan could not be ruled out after latest incidents in Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Minister pointed out that there should be no more illusions that the Afghan Taliban were sympathizers of Pakistan or were sincere in wanting peace on the basis of what transpired during the three rounds of peace talks, sponsored by Turkiye and Qatar. In fact, Pakistan will be fully justified to take any action to secure the lives of its people in the face of state-sponsored terrorism both from across the Eastern and the Western fronts. It is also not irrelevant to point out that Islamabad was attacked by the suicide bomber just a day after a blast occurred in New Delhi, the blame of which will most likely put on Pakistan if the past practices are taken as a cue. The situation has assumed alarming dimensions and this was also evident from the emergent consultations that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had with President Asif Ali Zardari. Both leaders reaffirm their resolve that actions against foreign-backed terrorists and their facilitators will continue until the complete elimination of terrorism. The latest terrorist attacks should also serve as a food for thought for sponsors and participants of the Peace Jirga in Peshawar as these surely warrant a strong and united national response.
