A suicide bomber blew himself close to a rally of Ulema Council Baluchistan near Press Club in Quetta, martyring 8 people including three security personnel, while 19 others were injured. The suicide bomber walking on foot tried to enter the rally but he was stopped by the police providing security to the rally.
Although the periodicity of terrorist attacks in the shape of suicide blasts has significantly decreased in the frontline provinces of Baluchistan and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa but terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan still succeeds in hitting soft targets. The terrorists that sneaked into Pakistan through porous Pak-Afghan border in Baluchistan get morphed with Afghan refugees, find local handlers and hit the chosen targets. While addressing the international conference on Afghan refugees in Islamabad, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that no guarantee can be given about curbing extremism until the return of refugees to the country of their origin. He asked for a roadmap for the repatriation of Afghan Refugees.The roadmap for the repatriation of Afghan nationals can be sought for if federal governments does necessary home work for it in the shape of clear plan to be implemented with the financial assistance of international community. The repatriation process of Afghan Refugees was fast during 2003-07 because the Ministry of SAFRON under federal minister SardarYar Muhammad Rind strictly monitored it. It is the lack of interest of the federal government that 2-3 families returned daily to Afghanistan last year from UNCR repatriation center of Peshawar whereas from Quetta Center no single Afghan family opted for homeward journey. Hopefully, refugee repatriation plan shall be prepared. Moreover, extensive combing operation shall be done against the sleeper cells of banned outfits.
