The twin blast at residential building in Abbass Town killed more
than 46 people and also wounded around 140 people. Many children were
also killed in the tragic incident.
According to media reports police and law enforcement agencies reached
the incident after one hour and this delay was because hundreds of
police was present at engagement ceremony of PPP leader Sharmila Farooqi
at Mohatta Palace.
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The day we think that we have had enough of killing, another bomb blast
kills more people. There is no guarantee of peace or harmony, not now
when the country is witnessing genocide of Shias across its length and
breadth. Since January, this blast in Karachi was the third attack on
Shias. The pattern has been identical, bombing a market or a
residential area to ensure indiscriminate bloodshed. The Alamdar Road,
Kinari Road and now the Abbas Town bomb blast killed women, children and
men of every age. So far 65 people have been reported killed and many
more injured. There were two remote detonated blasts, using improvised
explosive devices. The entire neighborhood of Abbas Town was reduced to
rubble. Some buildings caught fire because of short circuiting. The
police and Rangers arrived late, compelling the residents to shift the
injured and the dead to the hospitals themselves. Almost immediately, as
the terrorists were done with their dirty work, the government
announced compensation to the tune of Rs 1.5 million for each bereaved
family and Rs 1 million for the injured. Though money could not make
up for the loss of life and limb, especially in the absence of any
rehabilitation programme for the seriously injured, it could at least
reduce the misery of the surviving disabled to some extent. An inquiry
report has been hurriedly put together by the law enforcement agencies
and the day ended with a promise to bring the culprits to justice. An
identical pattern of addressing terrorists’ attacks, without leaving any
hope for the survivors or the rest of us to at least believe that
tomorrow will be a better day. How long are we going to continue with
this cold, indifferent attitude? When would it dawn on us that our
security is under threat and that we need a comprehensive,
all-encompassing and collective effort to remove the threat? When
would we stop evading the reality that we are under siege from the
terrorists? The United Nation’s anti-genocide envoy has listed Pakistan
among the countries with a ‘dangerous escalation in ethnic and
religious tension’.
To the utmost surprise,
none of the terrorist organizations has accepted the responsibility of
the attack so far. Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik, however, sees
the Punjabi Taliban behind the attack in Abbas Town. The vocal minister
minced no words in saying that the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) had its
headquarters in Punjab and the provincial rulers are in an electoral
alliance with the banned organization—a charge that PML-N denies. Rehman
Malik claims terrorism in the country can be eliminated only if action
was taken against terrorists in Punjab. Regardless he is right or wrong;
the people of Pakistan know nothing but deserve security to their lives
and property should that come from the PPP or PML-N. The useless
rhetoric of Rehman Malik doesn’t sooth the injured souls of the people.
On the other hand, Afghan President Hamid Karzai says Afghanistan wants
the Pakistani government to realize that both our nations are burning in
the same fire and adds that the Pakistani government has an essential
and important role in putting out this fire but practical steps are not
being taken to fight terrorism. Is not it a slap on the face of the
Interior Ministry? The man responsible for security of the country—the
interior minister—does not agree or deliberately ignoring the notion
that Pakistan is falling into serious chaos, he is recklessly pursuing a
rat-race of point-scoring over the bodies by shifting the
responsibility to PML-N that strengthens suspicion that the government
is either unable or unwilling to go after the militants. After years of
unabated terrorism, the mourners are losing patience over the repeated
killings they mean action no matter whether it comes from the PML-N or
the PPP. Pakistan has to do something more serious to rein in the
extremist militants to ensure much-needed long-term peace in the country
and in Karachi particularly. Bomb blasts and incidents of firing on
mourners and funerals heading for burial is an eye-opener for the rulers
who are still not willing to call in army, by invoking the Article 245
of the Constitution, to stem the tide of ruthless killings. Rehman Malik
must not forget— be it a failure of police, Rangers or the intelligence
agencies—the federal government is solely responsible for the security
of the people across Pakistan and if the government is banking on the
worsening law and order situation to prolong its rule after March 16.
This is not going to work. It is grossly mistaken. Today, the innocent
people are dying and buried under the rain of bullets. Even if the
rulers survive the onslaught of terrorists, tomorrow, they would not be
able to escape wrath of the people.
After all, the history repeats itself. Police and Rangers failing to
rescue Abbas Town victims for hours on the flimsy excuse of extending
security to the special guests, including the premier, the CM and other
government functionaries and the political leadership, gathered there in
the neighborhood of the blast site to attend the engagement of Sharmila
Farooqi deserves worst condemnation, and demands immediate removal of
all those who are responsible for the negligence—be he is DG Rangers, IG
police or political heads of the Sindh Government. After each terrorist
strike, Rehman Malik, who starts reading news like news caster, also
needs to be careful. He is the worst Interior Minister that this country
has in the living memory. His fouled-mouth revelations rub salt on the
wounds of bereaved families and the victims alike. He must stop his
‘prophecies’ based on blame-game especially if he cannot offer any
solution. Come March 16, the life will not remain the same. The nation
has put up a brave face to all tragedies it had faced during last five
years. It should expect any good from the rulers. The people have to
bear with the apathy of the state machinery for another 12 days, and
those dreaming about seeking the extension to their misrule are living
in fools’ paradise.
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