Suicide attack in Zhob

Jamaat has not been on the same page with many of its contemporaries for quite some time

It was a close shave with disaster. The suicide bomber who blew himself up amidst a Jamaat-e-Islami caravan in Zhob, Balochistan, has once again brought to the fore the dismal security scenario. Jamaat’s Emir Sirajul Haq was apparently the prime target. The incident has led to the death of a person and injuries to many others. The fact that the alleged bomber’s body has been found almost intact, as evident from instant footage from the scene, must come as a prime clue to trace the culprit’s whereabouts, and unearth the nexus and abettors behind him. That is the least that can be expected from an administration that has been on the receiving end for a long time, as terror activities have gone on unabated.

The Jamaat, which believes in principled politics, nonetheless, has not been on the same page with many of its contemporaries for quite some time. It had tooth and nail opposed the PDM’s sit-in and rally in the federal capital, and backed calls for elections by the PTI. While that merely manifests its line of action, this cowardly attack on its political rally in the desolated province can be an attempt on the part of unscrupulous elements to gain mileage, and push further the country deep in crises. Thus, a thorough and immediate probe is indispensable, and the incident should not end up as another footnote in history.

Attacks on political opponents are worrisome. Earlier, an attempt on the PTI chief and now the Jamaat leader indicates that there is a plot at the behest of someone. While the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan was quick to distance itself from the Zhob activity, the canvas of suspicion is in need of being broadened. Balochistan is home to not only a passive insurgency, but also a hotbed for homegrown and foreign conspirators. The biggest problem that Pakistan faces is lack of retribution and prompt dispensation of law, which magnifies the crisis to umpteen proportions. At a time when the country is inching towards elections, and instability reigns large, such acts are meant to fan the fire of hatred and parochialism.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2023.

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