Pak's inability to fight terror to affect South Asia

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S.J.Bokhari

10 October, 2009

The attack in the Khyber Bazaar area demonstrated terrorists' continuing ability to strike Pakistan's major cities, despite military offensives pressurising their networks. Television footage showed the charred skeleton of what appeared to be a bus

NOW IT is Peshawar again, about four dozen innocent people laid to eternal sleep in the twinkling of an eye. Is there any sign of light at the end of the tunnel? Who is doing this and for what? The answer may me obvious but again who is fighting whom in this god forsaken land.

If Pakistan has succumbed to its own virus then they should not care for help from the outer world. But in the broader perspective the allegations and counter allegations will prove to be fatal for the entire South Asian region. Most of the observers of this political scene believe that Pakistan losing the war against terror will lead all the countries in this Asian region including India into a major crisis.

The attack in the Khyber Bazaar area demonstrated terrorists' continuing ability to strike Pakistan's major cities, despite military offensives pressuring their networks. Television footage showed the charred skeleton of what appeared to be a bus flipped on its side in the middle of a major road. Twisted remains of a motorbike lay alongside the bus. A nearby vehicle was in flames.

The attack came just a few days after a suicide attack killed five at a UN office in the capital, Islamabad, and as the Pakistani Army prepares for a potential new operation in the South Waziristan tribal region, a major base for the Taliban and al-Qaida. Also just two weeks earlier, another blast in a Peshawar commercial area left 11 dead.

One of the important observations is that the attacks also came amid growing tensions between the US and Pakistan over a multi-billion-dollar United States aid package that is aimed at helping Pakistan's economy and other non-military sectors. The disclosure regarding the money received from US being used by Pakistan for other than war on terror has made U.S issue some harsh statements during past few weeks. Just yesterday the U.S had made it clear that the money received by Pakistan for fighting terror groups in Pakistan should not be mistaken for aid from U.S.

“Death has to come one day, but we will keep chasing these terrorists, and this attack cannot deter our resolve,'' said provincial Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain, while concluding his visit of site of the blast.

Interior Minister of Pakistan Rehman Malik said a suspect had been arrested in Monday's suicide attack at the office of the UN's World Food Program in Islamabad. Malik says the man was alleged to have given the attacker shelter, but gave few details.

Terrorists’ in Pakistan have earlier been targeting trucks carrying supplies for U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. However after the Pakistan government reaffirmed its resolve to combat terror groups in Pakistan, the terror groups have changed their policy of targeting only security force personnel but now the target is anybody out on the street, office, field, hotel among others irrespective of religion caste and creed, the only thing seeming to befit the attackers is the volume of loss of life they are able to create during a particular terror act. Obliviously Pakistan is passing through a difficult time and needs great deal of support from both within and outside. Otherwise it will have to face tough times in the near future.