THE federal capital was put on alert on Tuesday after incidents of terrorism and a warning issued by Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad of more terrorism-related incidents as a policeman was shot dead and two others were injured at a checkpoint.
On Monday night, a gun-battle took place in which two militants were shot dead, before two gunmen riding a motorcycle opened fire on a police checkpoint in the vicinity of the Karachi Company police station.
This was not an isolated incident of terrorism in the country as Rawalpindi-bound Jaffar Express derailed in the Mushkaf area of Sibi district after an improvised explosive device planted next to the tracks went off, injuring at least six passengers.
There was also a terror attack at a check post in North Waziristan in which two officials were martyred besides killing of two terrorists.
No group has claimed responsibility for these dastardly attacks but frequency of terror incidents has increased after expiry of the ceasefire between the Government and the TTP on December 09, 2021 after peace talks failed to make progress.
The Islamabad attack is serious in that it occurred in an otherwise tight security zone of the country and more importantly the Interior Minister has expressed apprehensions of more such attacks in the future.
Police personnel deserve appreciation for putting up resistance against terrorists and their readiness to sacrifice their lives.
Police and security personnel are targeted by the terror outfits deliberately as part of their designs to demoralize people, shattering their confidence in the ability of the police and intelligence agencies to safeguard their lives and properties.
Our defence forces and police proved beyond any doubt that they are fully capable of meeting the threat but more needs to be done in the realm of intelligence gathering so that precious lives are saved.
Presence of a sleeper cell of the terrorist outfits in the Capital means threat at the doorstep and all agencies will have to coordinate their activities to forestall acts of terrorism.
Here, we may point out that residents of the twin-cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi heaved a sigh of relief over bold decision of Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad to wind up a number of police check-posts that were serving no other purpose than compounding woes of the general public through coercive tactics and the decision must not be reversed.
