by Faisal Shakeel


Ever thought what would happen if a van or a truck in front of your car at a traffic signal blew up? It is a scary thought, which crawls up your spine to the back of your head.

Because of recent runaway horrific events, people in Pakistan have started wondering whether or not they would be able to return home after leaving for work, shopping or an errand. Carnage in suicide bombings, hostage situations with bloody endings and random incidents of shooting have instilled fear in the hearts and minds of people.

Discussions were still continuing over last Saturday’s attack on Pakistan’s military headquarter in Rawalpindi, when terrorists again struck in the heart of the country’s largest province of Punjab at three different locations.

Neither the death toll nor the identity of the terrorists matter to Pakistanis as much as the significance of the events does these days. The sense of insecurity is giving rise to the notion that terrorists can do anything in Pakistan if they can take soldiers and officers hostage inside the four walls of the military’s nerve centre.

The chief spokesman of the army, Major General Ather Abbas, says more important had been the response of the army’s special services group, which eliminated the terrorists and freed the hostages. Mr Abbas also revealed that “the terrorists were linked with the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)”, which is aiding al-Qaeda and fighting the US forces in Afghanistan.

While the majority is making a clarion call for not delaying the planned military offensive against the TTP in North Waziristan, some are suggesting a political solution to the problem. With air strikes already continuing over the Waziristan region and the TTP doing the terror work, there is little chance for such a solution.

The reality on ground indicates more chaos, death and destruction unless a miracle takes place.