Sir: On December 28, the tragic attack on the Ashura procession in Karachi was yet again another shameful act of cowardice carried out by the Taliban, as claimed by the militant leader Asmatullah Shaheen. The motives were clear. Karachi has been relatively secure in the ongoing war on terror and this one-off incident was an attempt to create a communal rift in the financial hub of PakistanWhat is perplexing is the constant state of denial by some clergymen who, despite all the evidence, would like to look for a ‘hidden hand’. Isn’t it tantamount to turning a blind eye to harsh realities? However, I can find solace in the thought that as a nation we stand united against such heinous acts and the attempts by extremists to create a rift between the sects will not succeed. As Muslims we must adhere to the true spirit of Ashura and not bow down to the Taliban.AMMAR ZAFARULLAH Islamabad