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.
By the way, the second video you posted is quite amazing.
it seems that in the middle of the video the cameraman and reporter come under first. The reporter still continues to report with a shaking voice. Amazing reporting. Worthy of a bravery award.
i condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms.
i offer my sincere condolences to the families of the those killed.
Yet another tragic blow.
There is will be those who will try to concoct conspiracy theories around this and try to distract people from the war going on in Pakistan by the extremists and terrorists. They will invoke “foreign hand” and turn this to favorite culprits like India. I do not know if this is so or not, but I know that even if it is so it is because a condition of terror and fear and instability has been created in the country that those who wish to stabilize Pakistan will use.
It is clear that the institutions of the state are being targeted and as with the Jamrud mosque attacked yesterday the purpose of this is to further stabilize the country and create panic and fear. That is exactly what this is doing.
Indian Intelligence agency
This is terrifying, to think that they now have the confidence not only to take on targets that were ostensibly tightly guarded, but even targets that can in principle shoot back.
I must say that another matter that is deeply disturbing to hear is the constant repetition of the fact that the incident is taking place within 15 kms. or so (I forget the exact reference) of the Wagah check post. This, coupled with its proximity to the recent announcements by the Obama administration, causes apprehension; is India being held the villain of the piece again?
@Zecchetti
By all means, let us think with open minds. Is it not early to conclude that RAW agents have done this? You have quoted Mullah Omar; I am puzzled why you think his word to be superior to that of the seniormost Indian ministers who have also gone on record condemning terror, not just in India but in any part of the world? Please wait for the evidence to come in.
@Zahid
A very good point. It does seem that the political stakes are too high, and nobody really wants to know. It is shocking that even the Bhutto assassination is not being looked into with the fullest vigour, considering that the administration is in the hands of her own party, and that both the Prime Minister and the President are from her own party.
If the truth, the real truth, comes out, it will be good for all. I cannot help hoping that a genuine enquiry will reveal that the frequent suspicions cast on India are baseless; on the other hand, if there is a basis, an accounting must be sought, not least by the Indian people from its government. Nobody but the lunatic fringe in India can think of using terror as a weapon.