Attack on JUI-F convoy

The horrific explosion is a reminder that the state’s blood-drenched battle against terrorism is far from over

The horrific explosion targeting a convoy carrying Senate Deputy Chairman Maulana Ghafoor Haideri in Balochistan’s Mastung district on Friday is a painful reminder that the state’s blood-drenched battle against terrorism is far from over. Maulana Haideri escaped with minor injuries but many of his colleagues and workers in the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) were not so fortunate. The attack — which is suspected to have been carried out by a suicide bomber and claimed up to 25 lives — coincided with the JUI-F leader’s departure from a seminary at the conclusion of an investiture ceremony. Maulana Haideri and the others were heading to another venue where a celebratory luncheon was to be held.

The JUI-F has often served as a key mediator between the government and the Taliban and although there was no claim of responsibility for the May 12^th attack the chief suspicion seems to have fallen again on the Taliban — which has previously owned up to deadly attacks on JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and his party men.

As can be expected, there was swift and wide denunciation of the cowardly attack by the highest functionaries of the state as well as many political leaders. We must go beyond such perfunctory responses and act with decisiveness. It sounds lame when Balochistan’s top officials say they have ordered a detailed report on the incident. How long will we conceal our follies and inefficiencies and call for investigation reports and inquiries? In the first place such exercises must be taken without executive orders. Until late in the day part of the administration was still confused about the nature of the attack, unable to say with any degree of authority whether it was a roadside blast involving an improvised explosive device or a suicide bombing. To defeat terrorism, a collective will has to be shown and action taken. There is no room for complacency at all.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2017.

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