Another cross-border attack

Another attack masterminded in Afghanistan has led to the martyrdom of 21 people in K-P's Kohat division. The Ittehadul Mujahideen Pakistan of Hafiz Gul Bahadur has claimed responsibility for a deadly bombing at Kohat Police Lines and subsequent rampage involving multiple attackers. This brazen operation underscores the extent of terrorists' penetration across the western frontiers and is an indictment of the regime in Kabul. Twenty-one of those martyred in the bombing included fifteen policemen. The terrorists detonated a device at a mosque before perpetrating further violence via a suicide bomber. This well-coordinated attack is a grim reminder that our kinetic and political responses are dangerously inadequate against a threat that is staring us in the face.

The Kohat mayhem is the latest addition to a string of similar attacks in the strategically vulnerable belt of Karak, DI Khan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Tank. These areas have been on the receiving end since the Taliban took over Kabul five years back. Similarly, North Waziristan, the newly merged districts and Kurram bordering the reclusive Southwest Asian state have seen unprecedented upheaval, as cross-border infiltration remains the order of the day. The ground situation becomes more complex because these non-state actors have abettors and sleeper cells across the province. Likewise, Balochistan is simmering as the BLA, Majeed Brigade and the TTP have turned the province into what is virtually a no-go area for locals.

This delicate moment once again calls for serious introspection. Security forces are doing a remarkable job to stem the rot. However, a more coordinated socio-political response designed to reinforce the state's narrative is vital for a winning proposition. Also, the ongoing bloodshed must compel international attention toward the ruthless regime in Kabul, which routinely flouts the rules of interstate civility. That the terror nexus remains comfortably entrenched inside Afghanistan is a universal truth requiring a collective counter-terrorism strategy. Pakistan will not be the last to bleed if the Taliban continue to have their way.