Adil Najam and Owais Mughal
Enemies of Pakistan are at it again; killing innocent Pakistanis in their murderous zeal. Murder and mayhem by terrorists has hit the city of Lahore second time in four days. This time in the form of a series of bomb blasts (at leastseven blasts today, according to some reports, and counting) that have already left more than 40 people dead (and counting).
At least seven blasts in Lahore have been reported today, at least 5 of them in Iqbal Town, Lahore. Although some of the later blasts were of less intensity, the goal here was to create panic. And it did. Especially because the terrorists planned them right around the time of Juma prayers – these killers seem to relish the killing the killing of Pakistani Muslims. There are also reports that the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan has claimed responsibility for these murders:
… The heads of both alleged bombers were recovered from the scene of the blasts while two suspects were also arrested, the Inspector General of Punjab Tariq Salim Dogar told reporters after the blasts… Meanwhile, the proscribed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed the responsibility for twin Lahore bombings. The blasts took place at 12:48 pm within the space of 15 seconds at R. A. Bazar as crowds gathered for Friday prayers. The blasts were so powerful that it caused cracks in nearby buildings besides shattering window panes. “We have collected concrete technical evidence, which will help identify the attackers. Both the attackers were on foot,” the IGP said.
There is little point in laying out the details here (The News update can be read here). The details keep changing. And yet they never change. We keep writing this same post again and again and again. The heart bleeds no less. The eyes swell up as ever. But the killing goes on.
One is tempted to say that the killing is senseless. But for those who kill, it is not. They know exactly what they are doing and why they are doing it. It is planned murder. And it is planned murder for a very clear effect. It is planned to destabilize Pakistan. Why they wish to do so is irrelevant. That is the effect, and that is the planned effect. But trying to “make sense” of why this is happening is also futile. What we need to think sensibly about is our own reaction to these attacks. Finding “hidden hands” is not going to help since the “hand” is all too obvious. Debates about causes and faults and contexts and history will be important, but right now they are just being used as a device to confuse. If someone can plant a bomb, again and again and again, in the heart of our cities in the midst of our children then at least two things should be clear: one, the enemy IS within us; two, this fight IS our fight.
For those who say this war is not “our” war, we ask: how many Pakistanis have to die before it does become out war! For those who cry about wanting Pakistan to do more, we ask: How many more Pakistanis will need to die before you think we have done enough!
I agree that we should immeditealey find a way to kick out blackwater form Pakistan. Obviously because of their past activities in Iraq, but MOST IMPORTANT because all these wannabe Taliban supporters are now using forms to raise blackwater name to take attention away from Taliban murderers and making excuses for Taliban.
Blackwater is no one’s friends. But certainly the biggest enemies of Pakistan are Taliban and all their supporters who write in their defense. These people are as much traitors as the Taliban killers of Pakistanis and Muslims.
Little do people like @Adnan Siddiqi realize that the ‘liberal left’ of Pakistan, as manifested by the most liberal party in Pakistan (the current ruling Pakistan Peoples Party) and by the columnists like The News’ Farrukh Saleem or by bloggers like me and @Aamir Ali, have a gradual hardening of tone when it comes to India because of India’s continued arrogance and belligerance.
On some policies the ‘Right’ and the ‘Left’ do, sometimes, come together. A more global example is the Western countries’ ‘Left’ and the ‘Islamists’ positions when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
So there are plenty of shades of grey in all countries, all socities and those who like to constantly think in black-n-white are the one who need to open their eyes.
would any one please tell me what CIA and its agent Blackwater are doing in Pakistan? could their presence in any country ever mean good news for that country?
religious extremist though always present, were as deadly as they are now? are CIA/Blackwater activities and suicide bombing unrelated?
has any one here heard of jeremy scahill and seymour hersh? and shouldn’t hamid gul, former isi chief know what he is talking about?
http://tiny.cc/F0Ld1; http://tiny.cc/Grws0
the war against talibans et all can’t be win because the people who are opposing them are consider ‘american pattho’ by general awam and the only reason behind is that the so called literate class of pakistan religiously swallow whatever is presented by US. There’s no hidden secret that majority of pakistani awam opposes what these left wing preaches every where that’s why these left wing enlightened has been coming out as ‘losers’ in every battle field. Endorsing drones and opposing talibans are not going to give any credit in Pakistan society. Once these Western fundos quit backing us, awam will aut0matically reject talibans otherwise they can just dream about it or .can waste forum of Adil by their sissy rants.
This childish conspiracy theories about who’s responsible likely runs all the way to the top. Bless the people who died – but make sure their death caused something to change. The real target is living Pakistanis, not dead Pakistanis. And judging from the lack of systemic response and this truly pathetic societal response to this civil war the other side is succeeding. Hold your leaders accountable! By this I mean the Army. Take out processions to demand that the Army stop this killing. You know that Zardari and Co. – or even Nawaz and Co. – can and will do _nothing_ about this. So hold the only institution that can materially change the situation responsible for eliminating this threat – not just in the Waziristans, but in the city, where these murderers are winning the all-important mind-war.