Blood and guts drenched the streets of Peshawar once again when a bomb ripped through the crowded Matani market on Friday, killing 12 and injuring scores more. The source of the bomb was a pickup truck inside a mechanic’s workshop. Whether the bomb had already been planted or if it was being planted at the time of the explosion is still being speculated on. As always this is a condemnable act of cold-blooded murder of many innocent people who do not deserve to be added to the statistics of the sadistic agenda of the terrorists. Such indiscriminate attacks are the hallmark of these terror groups; there is a distinct pattern whereby they target heavily crowded centres to inflict maximum damage and destruction. It seems our intelligence/security agencies are behind the curve when it comes to preventing these attacks. Bombings and targeted attacks have become routine in Pakistan and in Peshawar in particular. Less than one month ago some nine people were left dead when a security forces vehicle was targeted in a bomb attack in the Hayatabad area of Peshawar. The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has not yet come forward to claim responsibility for this latest attack but anyone who thinks that the terror threat has abated should rethink. Time spent without news of attack or injury only seems to serve as time spent by the terrorists in calculating and organising their next move. In another barbaric reminder that the internal threat Pakistan faces is far from over, a video has been released by the TTP showing these monsters wielding an axe and displaying the severed heads of 12 Pakistani soldiers. Some 15 of our soldiers have gone missing after fighting with militants who had crossed over from the Kunar province of Afghanistan to the Bajaur tribal district. It has not yet been ascertained whether the heads belong to the missing soldiers but the gruesome video leaves no doubt that the threat faced by the country is far from over. In July, the TTP released a similar video showing that such beheadings are also becoming part of a pattern. No doubt should be left in the minds of our people and our intelligence/security forces about the atrocities that these brutes are willing to inflict to attain their nefarious goals. Beheadings in particular are sure shot warnings aimed at making an entire people too scared to fight back. No wonder then that the TTP has turned to this form of murder to beat back any will and resolve of our military and people to counter their threat. By releasing such footage so routinely and by promising more heads on the way, the TTP is trying to turn our boots into quivering ones unwilling to take on the terrorists. It is commendable that no matter how much pain and suffering the terrorists have inflicted, our soldiers and people are more determined than ever in persevering to beat back the jihadis. We wish the same perseverance and courage were being shown by our intelligence agencies, which should be working overtime to pre-empt and halt terror attacks. Too many civilians have been killed by bombings all over the country and our police and law enforcement agencies seem to always be two steps behind the terrorists. The sacrifice of our soldiers would be of no consequence if the terrorists succeed in continuing to terrorise the people. The serpent’s head must be scotched. *