Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has declared that terrorism was the foremost national security challenge and his message to the perpetrators of the mosque terror attack in Peshawar was that they could not underestimate the resolve of the Pakistani people. Premier was expressing his grief during his visit to Peshawar, which came in the backdrop of the deadly terrorist attack in Police Lines Mosque costing over eighty deaths and nearly 150 injuries. The Prime Minister said that the cowardly terror attacks could not weaken the resolve of the nation against terrorism, and the miscreants and their facilitators involved in attacks on innocent citizens would be punished for their heinous crimes.
A renewed wave of terrorism has resurrected across the country which particularly hit the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in recent days. There had been recurrent incidents of terrorism, kidnapping, and ransom in Swat, Dir, and Waziristan over the past few months while mass Public rallies were arranged by the civil society and political parties to sensitize the government about the worsening law and order situation in the area but the political rivalry between the center and province largely caused a hurdle in effectively tackling this menace. The terrorists had been continuously targeting LEAs and Police in Peshawar, Malakand divisions, and newly merged districts during these days, whereas Monday’s suicide attack on Peshawar Police Lines Mosque has shaken the entire nation.
Realistically, Pakistan has lost its conquered battle, and the Country’s all gains agaisnt terrorism had been reversed over the past six years. Once again we are battling the worst situation of a pre-2010 era when death was dancing everywhere and terrorism flourished every day. There have been multiple calls from civil society, media, and politicians for the reimplementation of the 2014 National Action Plan (NAP) and reinitiation of military operations agaisnt terror outfits to defeat the menace of terrorism. Unfortunately, neither the public nor leaders ever inquired about the reasons for the no completion of the NAP, the causes for the resurrection of terrorism, and the renegades who reimported this monster in the country and helped resume its death trading and blood bathing.
In fact, the Peshawar Police Lines attack was not a mere terror incident but was a well-planned war that had been waged agaisnt the state of Pakistan and clearly illustrates the gravity and magnitude of the threat that confronts the Pakistani nation in the shape of terrorism. Historically, the Pakistani nation had always been betrayed by its leaders and institutions, as the public had never been apprised of the true origin and motives of the terrorist elements, the reality of the truce struck by the government with banned outfits, and role of Afghan interim government’s role and Afghan cooperation with Pakistan in this regard.
The current situation displays utter disappointment and indignation among the masses as the state and People of Pakistan are under attack, inflation and energy crises are on the rise while the national economy is on the verge of collapse, and even then political leadership is embattled with each other for mere politics. There is a dire need for an all-parties conference to deliberate on the current situation and adopt a consensus regarding the handling of terrorism, an economic issue, and the resolution of prevailing political disagreement. Although, Pakistani leaders have a high ego, however, if today they could not sit together for the country, then what is the proof of their nationalism?
