Behind the scenes

Attack on Chinese Consulate was politically-motivated attack making it an act of terrorism

November 2018 saw an attack on a Chinese consulate in which three suspects, two police officers, and two civilians were killed. Being all too familiar with the types of attacks that take place in this country, popular perception looked at it as an act of terror against Chinese development and not a random shooting per se. Upon investigation, the Karachi police chief revealed on January 11 that the attack was executed in collaboration with India’s intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing. The planning of the attack was done in Afghanistan. The suspicions were correct: it was a politically-motivated attack thereby making it an act of terrorism. This finding has the potential to throw a spanner into the ongoing efforts for Afghan peace talks and at minimum, creates a perplexing situation for the state of security in Pakistan and the region.

Details about the events that led to the attack underscore that terrorists are operating as cleverly as before with the state having no fool-proof system, despite certain measures having been taken such as stronger measures on the issuance of cellphone cards. More needs to be done, such as issuing of CNICs by NADRA requires more strict parameters. The cards physically should contain advanced security features. Our state agencies also need to realise that these changes are not one-time jobs. Just as attackers update and modify their modus operandi, so, too, do state agencies need to arduously work to advance their systems and change with the times.

As far as regional security and stability go, there has been more communication in recent weeks between Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India. The Afghan Taliban have shown willingness to hold peace talks and India recently allowed Pakistan to visit its dam sites. For now, Pakistani intelligence and law-enforcement agencies need to look within to continue rooting out terrorist elements in areas where operations may have been carried out but failed to stop future terrorists from entering. Since the attackers stayed in other cities of Sindh, like Sukkur, the need to expand security and intelligence in remote areas is apparent. While policies are changing and communication is taking place with Afghanistan, Pakistan needs to be cautious.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2019.

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