Gwadar attack

It could have been worse if our soldiers had not sprung into timely action to overcome the three terrorists who stormed into a luxury hotel in the strategic Gwadar city on Saturday evening in their evil intent to do something big. What could have caused a hell lot of harm ended up without much damage in an operation that continued into the following day. A Pakistan Navy soldier and a private security guard were martyred while four more – including two Pakistan Army captains and two Navy personnel – were injured in a gallant contribution towards the safety of all the guests that was ensured in the counter action. Three hotel employees also lost their lives and two others sustained injuries. That a city pivotal to CPEC was targeted by terrorists exposes, once again, the deep-seated conspiracy aimed at sabotaging the multi-billion dollar project billed as fate-changer for Pakistan in view of the immense economic opportunities it carries.

Yet again, the nefarious designs of the enemy were foiled under a well-coordinated action. However, the hotel attack – coupled with others in the past weeks viz, the Data Darbar blast, the Ormara killings and the cross-border assault on our security forces in North Waziristan – demonstrate the capacity of the terrorists to strike at will. And this leaves much to be desired in the context of implementation on the National Action Plan, or NAP. The comprehensive 20-point plan, devised after the December 2014 APS tragedy to tackle terrorism and extremism in the country, has largely been a shelved instrument, and put to use only sporadically, especially in the wake of any major terrorist activity. The recent rise in terrorist activity stresses the need for acting upon NAP under an integrated strategy involving all organs of the state and catering to all facets of the menace of terrorism and extremism.

Relatedly, the interior ministry has placed 10 more affiliates of JuD, FIF and JeM on the list of banned outfits. Needing the government’s attention are other measures including regulating seminaries; curbing literature promoting hatred; taking steps against abuse of social media for terrorism; and reforming the criminal justice system.

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

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