Another attack

The shooting of a Saudi diplomat in Karachi on May 16 would appear to carry forward the spirit of revenge we are seeing following the death of Osama bin Laden. Though the motives for the murder of a man believed to be a consular agent, after four motorcyclists followed the car through the Defence area of Karachi and then opened several rounds of fire, are being examined it is hard to imagine the incident is not linked to events in Abbottabad earlier this month. Just days ago grenades had been lobbed at the prominently located Consulate building. The Taliban, initially suspected to be behind Monday’s incident, have denied responsibility.

For Pakistan, the attacks, and especially the death on its soil of a Saudi national are embarrassing. They demonstrate a lack of ability to maintain law and order, and perhaps, especially, the inadequacies of our intelligence agencies which need to assess their performance in some depth. Without input from them, it is obviously difficult to put adequate security measures in place. The situation at present is an especially sensitive one. Relations with the US are already tense. Islamabad can simply not afford to lose the goodwill of other key allies. It is also becoming clear that the fall-out from the Bin Laden raid will be a severe one, felt at its most intense in the country. We do not know what is being planned by groups that support al Qaeda, but it is becoming clear that they mean business. The recent suicide-bombings in Charsadda district and the targeting of the Saudis are evidence of this. It is obvious too groups active in different cities are all active; we do not know if they are working collectively or alone.

The action in Abbottabad was carried out by the US on its own. The aftermath must be dealt with by Pakistan. Apologies, such as those made after the hurling of explosives at the Saudi Consulate by the Sindh chief minister will not be enough. Instead our security apparatus needs to work out a strategy and demonstrate it is indeed able to defend the country from the enormous threat it faces from within its own borders.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2011.