The blast in the Peshawar Imambargah on Friday was a tragedy, extracting a horrendous toll, with 58 people killed and 70 injured. However, the tragedy indicates that not only is the menace of terrorism still alive, but it has a sectarian colouring. The claiming of responsibility by the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) should give warning to the government that there is yet another terrorist group operating in Pakistan, along with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Baloch Liberation Army and other assorted groups.
The hope should have died long ago that the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan would bring about some relief, and it seems clear now that it has not. The post-takeover burst of attacks against the Pakistan Army indicated that there had been some change in targeting, but the attack on an Imambargah indicates that the terrorists have returned to an earlier form of violence, against religious minorities. This confirms the trend seen in the recent killing of a Christian priest in Peshawar as well. It is a sad comment on the situation that it appears to continue even after the government has tried various reconciliatory moves. The talks with the TTP and the offer of an amnesty do not seem to have worked.
Obviously, the government is doing something wrong. There is a clear need for two things. First, there must be a major rethink by the government of the policy to be followed. This should involve all branches of government, both civilian and military. Second, the various intelligence outfits of the country must concentrate on the task of obtaining actionable intelligence about these terror groups, and avoid deploying resources to activities that take up too much energy that should be dispensed elsewhere. The government has done its best to deal with the terrorists generously, but it should note that this attack has come in the capital of what it still counts as a stronghold. Surveillance apparatus installed under the various safe city projects must be updated and maintained while on-ground field work to preempt attacks is amplified. Both mechanisms go hand in hand and are essential to thwarting future attacks.
