Adil Najam
In yet another brutal attack on Pakistan, terrorists targeted a police training facility near Lahore. In many ways the attack has similarities to the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team, also in Lahore.. News reports suggest a rising toll of dead and injured.
In a recent update, the siege of the compound has ended. Four of the militants have been caught and four have died. One hopes that investigations with the ones caught will lead to more concrete information, especially about the planning of these and other (past and future) attacks on Pakistan (more updates in comments section).
In an eye-witness account recieved by email, on an email list, Farooq Tariq writes:
I am writing this at 10am on 30 March 2009.
As I arrived back from my usual morning walk around 7am, a massive round of firing was heard at my place. I asked my partner Shahnaz, if she noticed that, she said maybe, a routine matter and such incident of firing is taking place almost daily. Then another round of firing started, I told her this is very unusual. It went on for some time.
I live near Jallo Park, and not for from G T Road that leads to Wahgha border. Manawan Police Training Center is on this GT Road and just opposite to our place, around a kilometer away.
I turned to the television, there was not any mention of this firing, but the firing was still going on. Around 7.30am, some private television stations started telling that firing and some blast is heard at Manawan Police Training center and no more details.
Manawan is name of a village at the suburbs of Lahore and now it has become almost part of Lahore. Just opposite Manawan, a police training center is located on main GT Road Lahore. One of the newly formed trade union of New Khan Transport Workers Union Office is just opposite this police training center. Next to this center is a bus depot of private bus company New Khan Transport. We have gone to this office many times. The area is newly built.
Now at 10am, nearly after three hours of the firing, It is now clear from all the reports that terrorist have struck at this center killing at least 20 police trainees and injuring over 100. The firing is still on. I can hear that even at my home, a kilometer away from the scene.
Rangers and special police squad have come to the area while still they are not yet abe to bring out all the injured from inside the compound. The private television channels are broadcasting scenes showing police men bodies lying at the morning police parade ground. The terrorist are still inside the compound.
I just called Kashif Aslam, a youth leader of Labour Party Pakistan Lahore, he lives very next to this Center, he told me that he heard massive blasts and then firing for a long time. He said many hundreds of people are watching the whole episode from their roof tops around the area. He had already left the area from back streets as the whole area is cordoned off already and GT Road a closed.
It seems that it is the same terrorist gang that had attacked the Sri Lanka cricket team on 2 March in Lahore. The gang is around ten persons who had all the latest arms and ammunitions. GEO tv reported that the gang has bags on their shoulders full of arms. They have now occupied roof top of the building. Although, police helicopter is seen flying over the compound.
After the attack on Sri Lanka cricket team, police had failed to arrest a single person involved in the attack. They group has now targeted a police center, it is believed that the numbers of the killed will be higher what is reported at present.
Earlier report in The News:
At least 20 people have been killed and 25 injured when gunmen attack police training center in Manawan near Wagah border on Monday. Attackers take positions inside police training center. They are wearing police uniforms and carrying backpacks and guns.
Rangers and police take positions around police training center. Army has also deployed to aid police. Emergency enforced in the hospitals. Police helicopters hover training center. The bodies and injured have been shifted to different hospitals. According to DIG Mumtaz Sukhara, the exact number of attackers yet to be known. Police have directed people to stay away from training center, however, large number of people present outside training center to support security forces. They are chanting slogans in favour of Punjab police and Pakistan Army.
Earlier, a series of at least five blasts were heard at the training centre at Manawan, and the explosions were followed by an exchange of fire between the attackers and policemen that is still underway. The officials said about 850 trainee policemen were present within at the facility.Reports said the gunmen lobbed several grenades as they launched their attack and then fired indiscriminately.
Week after week, month after month, one tires of writing again and again about these brutal murderous attacks on Pakistan and Pakistanis. But the pain does not lessen with familiarity to such news. The anger only grows.
We shoudl remember and respect the heros of our security services.
I find it funny as well as sad that Pakistanis as well as Indians will turn anything and everything into a India=Pakistan thing. Why are our passions so fickle. Maybe if we worked half as hard on making our individual countries better.
We need to arrest Zardari and Nawaz for looting the country and this will end the terrorism.
“Searching for “outside hand” is again like burying our heads in sand. Folks, it is our sins that are visiting us. ”
I always wondered how educated Pakistanis could even believe in such loopy conspiracy theories. Allegations that the jihadis and the Indians are teaming up sound silly. Of course no conspiracy theory is complete without bringing the Jews in.
The best answer I could find was here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/6213226.stm
“Conspiracy theories have served different political and cultural functions during the last two centuries.
Often minority groups or outsiders are blamed for social woes, in a familiar process of scapegoating that helps to provide a comforting sense of coherence and community to those who believe their way of life is imperilled by conspiring forces.
Moreover, these popular fears are exploited by those in positions of power in order to further their own vested interests.”
I think the role of the media in all of this should be studied. Why can’t they ever call these terrorists what they are - enemies of Pakistan. The media did the same with the Lal Masjid terrorists and turned them into heroes and is doing same with the Taliban. Is it because they are afrad for their own lives?
I find it very strange that some commentators here have chosen this tragedy for needless chest thumping about our security forces being better than our neighbouring country. It is this shameless arrogance that is root of our ills. Unless we are prepared for some honest introspection, such incidents will not go away.
Searching for “outside hand” is again like burying our heads in sand. Folks, it is our sins that are visiting us. It is still not too late to acknowledge where we went wrong and form a muttahida mahaaz with India and B’desh for complete eradication of this menace.
I also think that the security forces did a good job and showed professionalism and gave their lives for us. We should salute them for that. But please lets not make this a childish race between India and pakistan on who did better. Neither did because none of these incidents should have happened. Let us instead work to make a world where such horrific incidents do not happen.
The moment is now for Pakistani Muslims of all colors and creed to join hands to root out the evil of the ignorant mullah and the corrupt politicians. The mullah and the politicians aided by the masses have set a regret able precedence of passing fatwas on who is or is not a muslim. The gun pointed towards other is eventually bound to be pointed towards one self, when shall travesties are allowed to take place.
Now is the time for self examination and for joining hands with each and every law abiding, God fearing Pakistani to root out the ignorant mullahs and their brain washed human bombs. Now is the time to repeal the ludicrous changes done to the constitution that do not belong in the realm of human jurisdiction. Now is the time to expunge the corrupt, jahil politicians out of the system.
Pakistanis, raise your selves to the ideals for which Pakistan was formed. The ideals that were laid down by our Quaid (ra).