The chickens have come home to roost, and it is time we reformed our whole security apparatus
LAHORE: We have yet another attack on a PAF installation by terrorists, who were able to reach the periphery of the airbase, which should have been inaccessible, given that it is normally surrounded by a security zone but which was, unfortunately, not present at the time. When the Badhaber Air Base was constructed, there were no housing societies or commercial outlets that existed around its periphery. Those who have allowed them to emerge are responsible for the loss of lives and criminal negligence. Young, brave sons of the soil embraced martyrdom in the attack. There have been too many repetitive breaches of security involving our key security installations by men guised in uniform, which facilitates their access to key sensitive security bases. A system should have been installed utilising the latest technology to check the movements of men and vehicles within sensitive zones, be they in uniform or civilian dress. Why should marriage halls, private or welfare housing societies be allowed to exist near such installations?
Until the last terrorist is eliminated and injustice eradicated from society, and those brainwashed by fundamentalists rehabilitated through intensive joint efforts by the civil and military establishment, Pakistan will continue to haemorrhage, its brave sons will continue to embrace martyrdom, while national security continues to be compromised. The chickens have come home to roost, and it is time we reformed our whole security apparatus and redefine foreign relations so that the focus remains solely on our geographical integrity. To achieve these goals, the nexus that exists between crime, terrorism, corruption and sources of funding must be eliminated with no exceptions. Terrorism cannot be rooted out unless its funding routes are not plugged. These, unfortunately, are the same ones used by the corrupt elite of this country involved in funnelling black money to foreign safe havens and exploiting holes in remittance procedures to evade taxes.
Malik Tariq Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, September 20th, 2015.
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