Sehwan attack

Another suicide attack took place in the country on February 16. This time the terrorists targeted the shrine of Sufi Lal Shahbaz Qalandar when devotees were performing dhamal inside the compound. The deadly attack claimed the lives of over 80 people and injured hundreds others. Most of those wounded succumbed to their injuries on the way to the hospitals in Hyderabad and Nawabshah since medical facilities at Sehwan were inadequate.

Once again, the perpetrators of these deadly attacks remain the same. Once again, Afghanistan is being blamed for the latest wave of terrorism. But let us look at ourselves before we point fingers at others. It is very easy to cover up for our own failures and blame others. People who are facilitating non-state actors in these ghastly acts of militancy belong to our own country. Nobody can be secure and safe until we wipe out the menace completely and that can be achieved once we stop discriminating between the good and bad Taliban. The recent terrorist attacks also pose questions on the implementation of the National Action Plan and the competence of the government. If we do not act soon, these attacks will become more rampant.

Rasheed Mangrio

Hyderabad

*****

Pakistan seems to be experiencing a resurgence of terrorism across the country. The carnage at Sehwan claimed the lives of 83 people, most of who were devotees who had come to pray there from various parts of the country. It was a Thursday and a dhamal was being performed when the suicide attacker struck. At the time of the blast, there were at least 500 people gathered at the spot to view the performance. The attack was totally planned.

The insurgents have proved that the country has had flawed and even incompetent security policies. A new wave of terror has spread and engulfed the whole nation now. It has created an extreme sense of insecurity. The people of Pakistan are fighting a battle which really needs to end now.

Abdul Zahir

Jafarabad