Bannu's misery

In a synchronised, daredevil twin-attack, seven people were bled to death in Phang Musa Khel area of Bannu district in K-P. Attackers reportedly targeted a passenger vehicle with an IED before launching a secondary strike on the wounded as they were being rushed to the hospital. This incident underscores that terrorists not only operate with impunity but also possess the tactical flexibility to adapt their plans, while authorities remain largely reactive. The fact that Bannu has frequently been a theatre of revulsion indicate the absence of coordination between the various anti-terrorism stakeholders. Sitting at the vital nexus of K-P, North Waziristan and the Afghan border, Bannu is geographically vulnerable. Back-to-back attacks in the district, at least six in the last few months, must come as a grim reminder that something is amiss in dealing with the ground realities, and the sooner the buckle is tightened the better.

Having recorded at least 3,811 terror incidents last year, K-P is counting for the dead and the maimed this year too. The pattern depicts that unscrupulous elements are relentlessly attacking both civilians and security forces. The police, in particular, have been in the eye of the storm for quite some time. What is bothersome, however, is that these foreign-backed militants strike and slip away, suffering minimal casualties of their own while inflicting maximum harm on local populations. Time and again, these groups reconstitute their networks in both K-P and Balochistan to strike back with renewed force. This cycle makes a mockery of the government's tall claims of wiping out the threat. Official responses amount to nothing more than superficial damage control after an attack, followed by a period of total inertia until the next tragedy unfolds. This must change as a coherent kinetic-cum-political policy is required to nip the terror in the bud. Sealing off porous borders, profiling each and every suspect impartially and beefing up intelligence gathering are sine qua non for our collective survival.