Attack in Peshawar

The blast, on January 16, at the Tablighi Markaz in Peshawar highlights, yet again, the nature of the enemy we face and its willingness to attack and take lives with impunity. For those bewildered by the senseless loss of lives, it becomes even more difficult with each passing attack to understand why it was carried out. Indeed, there are no concrete answers so far to explain why the Markaz was attacked, why at least nine lives were lost and several dozen people injured.



The attack comes exactly a year after the blast at a Tablighi Markaz in Swat. Twenty-two people were killed in that January 2013 explosion. We do not know what happened then and we probably will not find out what happened this time around. The only answers we have are theories based on personal perceptions.

The January 16 attack signifies the weakness of the state’s writ and law-enforcement agencies in more ways than one. Volunteers of the Tablighi Jamaat washed away the crime scene as the bomb disposal squad and rescue officials were denied entry. Washing away a blast site that may have resulted in loss of crucial evidence would have led to public outcry in most instances for obvious reasons. But, perhaps, investigations and evidence no longer held meaning in this case or the government is not powerful enough to enforce its writ even on this issue.

The blast also reflects the weakness of the state with respect to the high moral ground given to militant forces. Some politicians were quick to note that the Taliban have not claimed the attack. It almost seemed as if they were relieved that this was the case. Regardless of who carried out the attack, it is time we stopped trying to brand violence and its perpetrators in attempts to explain and understand the extremely violent period in time we live in. Regardless of who is responsible for spreading terror in our society and why such attacks are carried out, the problem remains the same: the ugly truth of a clear lack of policy or direction on the part of the government when it comes to tackling terrorism and militancy remains undeniable.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2014.

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