The scourge of terrorism has revisited the Punjab capital after two years. A suicide blast has sent a strong reminder to the nation in general and the law-enforcement in particular, that the terrorists have not been finished off even if they might have been beaten. By the time these lines were written, 10 people, including three police officials, had been martyred in a suicide blast next to the shrine of Data Ganj Bakhsh on Wednesday.
Capt Arif Nawaz Khan, the Punjab Police inspector general, said an Elite Force van was apparently the target. This is the third blast in Lahore since 2017 where police officials have been the primary targets. Earlier, nine police officials and several civilians were killed in a blast in July 2017 in a bomb attack near Arfa Karim IT Tower on Ferozepur Road. In February, the same year, a suicide blast killed had killed five police officials, including two senior officers. Massive deployment at public places sine 2000 has made police easier to target. Their uniform, and their apparent lack of training to tackle certain kinds of terrorists, are particularly attractive to their predators.
The bomber used 7 kilogramme explosives in the early morning strike. Up to 26 people were also injured in the blast. We pray for their early recovery and offer our deepest condolences to the bereaved families. After the blast, statements from government and opposition leaders started pouring in as a ritual. Such times, however, demand the best treatment of those injured, compensation to the families of the deceased and design of better strategies to stop such incidents. The record of the law-enforcement agencies in terms of rendering sacrifices in the war on terror, starting in early 2000, has been great. Lahore was relatively calm last year 2018 but terrorists have wrought havoc in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and parts of now defunct FATA. Terrorism in far off places seldom gets prominence in the media and tends to be forgotten quickly.
Wednesday’s blast underscores the need for better training for police to combat terrorism. Ideally, the police force should be used exclusively for crime control. For two decades now, however, the circumstances have been far from normal. We have been told that the leftover terrorists have sanctuaries in neighbouring countries. Foreign Office should pursue the matter at the appropriate level with our neighbours and the agencies concerned should enhance their capability to pre-empt the attackers. *