Security and rescue officials examine the site of the blast. PHOTO: AFP
As has been demonstrated time after time, mosques, imambargahs and other places of worship are the softest of targets, and Fridays are when they are most likely to be crowded. Friday prayers in particular is a time of vulnerability when what security measures there are, are at their weakest. It is relatively easy to gain access and even a man in a hurry may not be stopped as it might be assumed he does not want to be late for prayer. As yet, no group has claimed responsibility for the Shikarpura carnage.
Given that the National Action Plan (NAP) specifically speaks of addressing the issue of sectarian outfits that operate seemingly with impunity across the country, it has to be wondered just how hard the government is trying when it comes to tackling the issue of sectarian armed groups. The NAP is fast coming to resemble a visit to the doctor where a diagnosis is given and a prescription written, but the patient is then dismissed without the treatment beginning. The prime minister runs the length and breadth of the country attending ‘crisis meetings’ — most recently on January 30 in Karachi — and action plans are chalked out, only to fade away with the prime minister’s receding protocol. Meetings do nothing. Stop meeting and start implementing.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2015.
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Pakistan seems to be having a Gujarat riot kind of causality every month.
You say: "When terrorists start killings in mosques, we can say with certainiy that the limits of madness have reached new heights. How can anybody kill those who pray without doing any harm to anybody."
This is nothing. Though this editorial says that no one has claimed responsibility, another news in today's ET says: "A spokesman for the Jandullah militant group, a splinter faction of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), said they were behind the blast. “We claim responsibility for attack on Shias in Shikarpur very happily,” Ahmed Marwat told AFP." TTP spokesperson Ahmed Marwat claims responsibility and says “We claim responsibility for attack on Shias in Shikarpur very happily”
Also recall: Before massacring the school children in Peshawar, TTP terrorists who were holding up the children in a classroom asked the children to recite Kalima. They asked them to recite louder and as soon as the children finished reciting, TTP terrorist shot them.
I also read that in another classroom in the school, TTP terrorist holding the children captive asked them if any of them want to go free. All children raised their hands. The terrorist picked up 4 of 5 of them and brought them to the front. He then shot the children point blank, in front of other children. He again asked the children "who else want to go free?". The children started to cry and and no one raised their hands this time.
These are extremes and unthinkable. What is even more unthinkable is that so many politicians were demanding dialogue with these terrorists. They held so many All-Party conferences and passed unanimous resolution in favor of dialogue with the terrorists. Imran Khan wanted to open an office for them and TTP also appointed Imran Khan as their representative to represent them in their talks with the government.
I saw in a TV debate yesterday in a Pakistani channel that two hours after the bombing of the Imambargah, Nawaz Sharif was cracking jokes and did not even mention a word about this suicide bombing. Imran Khan has not uttered a word of condemnation yet.
The basic recommendations are know to all : (a) " Thou shall not kill " !!!!
When terrorists start killings in mosques, we can say with certainiy that the limits of madness have reached new heights. How can anybody kill those who pray without doing any harm to anybody. This obsession with religion must stop. We must learn to be tolerant and must unite to punish those who kill innocent people.The whole world reads these news and wonders if it is Islam really a religion of peace as many claim. I am beginning to wonder myself.
Government needs to start recording all the sermons at Mosques and Seminaries. All incidents of hate speech should be prosecuted.