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!
Adnan sahib, MTKN leadership has been dying in such attacks for more than a decade now. There is no connection between suicide bombings and these attacks. These murders are a result of sectarian issues which started during Zia era. MTKN and SSP are being punished by powers opposed to the Saudi funded organizations in Pakistan.
Pakistan is a battlefield for many of our frineds. Saudi Arabia , Iran, India and US. And Pakistan has two teams involved in these battles too. One, our regular army appearing to help US and two, our highly irregular agencies trying to protect Taliban leadership for future use…
Saeed Jalalpuri was a straight forward case of secarian assasination, not an anti-Pakistan plot..
take care.
I see that not much has changed. After every attack Indians come to gloat and Taliban sympathizers come to distract.
Need to find a solution to the suicide bomber…..its the only tactic Taliban have that still works, and they use it frequently. If somehow these suicide attackers can be stopped, the Taliban are completely defeated.
@Adnan:
Whether you admit it or not, you’re as much a ‘tin soldier’ here as anyone else and you’re equally lame points about India supposedly ‘making love’ with the Taliban, via its visit to Saudi shows it.
It doesn’t have anything to do with having American friends or ‘kissing up’ to India either…these savages existed before the stupid American War on Terror as well as independently of Indian involvement. Pakistanis need to decide whether they are ready to tolerate these criminals in their country or not.
@Lutf mian: your info regarding Molana Jalalpuri is as weaker as Mirza(LA);s arguments of being next Messiah. Just 2 days before his death molana jalalpuri warned all TV channels NOT to invite Zaid Hamid due to his past association with another false prophet Yusuf Kazzab. Zaid Hamid in recent interview said that he would use his 9mm pistol to shoot if any molana or anyone else come to argue with him. Beside that Molana had to give witness against some1 next day.
We have a puppet regime in place, who is too afraid to speak the truth. They don’t have the guts to blame India for providing financial and material support to the Tehreek e Taliban. The President and Prime Minister don’t care about this country, they’re more concerned about pleasing their masters. The Indian propaganda machine is working full time to brand Lashkar e Taiba as terrorists, when in fact they are fighting a just battle against the oppression, brutality and the occupation of Kashmir by the army of India. Those who believe we can have peace with India, only deceive themselves. The peace overtures by Musharraf were used by India to gain time in Kashmir. Our support for the Kashmiri freedom fighters waned, and the Indians executed their plan to use Afghanistan as a base to support terrorists in Balochistan and FATA. They keep on repeating the events of Mumbai, which in fact was a Red Flag operation to defame Pakistan. However we have had hundreds of attacks bigger than Mumbai, yet we can’t call a spade a spade. Thanks to the traitors and bandits who occupy the highest civilian offices of Paksitan
The Indians will only have peace with us when they will have no option. Unfortunately as the only solution to peace in the Middle East is the military defeat of Israel, so is the case with regards to India. Do we want to live in dignity or do we want to live as slaves. Thank god there are too many of us who fear Allah alone, and we shall never forget that India is our enemy . We shall never give up the struggle for Kashmir.