With a suicide attack on a protest rally in Lahore on Monday, which was followed by an even more grotesque blast on a shrine in Sehwan, terror has once again returned with a loud, horrific bang to haunt the country. This time, however, the rejuvenated vigour of the militants appears to leave no target unharmed as they strive to make an even greater, bloodier spectacle of their power and hatred. Given the darkness that threatens to overshadow all hopes in our incessantly arduous fight against terrorism, the authorities can no longer get away with their usual rebuttals, previously heard in the wake of such attacks. Going by what Punjab government has already claimed, the intelligence agencies should be highly appreciated for realising the need to strike on terrorist strongholds in a wider and more urgent manner. The much-touted arrest of the facilitator of the Monday’s carnage as well as a complete elimination of its parent terrorist network clearly validates a turning tide in the official approach against the reemerged threat. Punjab’s chief minister has supported a nation-wide program as the need of the hour, even agreeing to work with both army and the rangers if the need arises to assist federal agencies in their operations against sleeper cells across the province.
His advocacy of a joint stance further substantiates hopes that perhaps, this time, the authorities ought to collectively synergise their efforts; aspiring to do something more meaningful. Nevertheless, as has been previously indicated on numerous occasions, the PML-N government has yet again shown willingness to revive the military courts to deal with the terrorism suspects. While the provision of unchecked authority to the military leadership could not have been allowed by any normal functional democracy, the fact that the state was still miles away from formulating an effective criminal justice system, this bitter pill is being swallowed for the last two years; all in name of fighting terrorism. It is a shame that despite various pledges taken to avenge the horrific massacre of innocent children of the Army Public School in Peshawar, the country’s civilian leadership has neither strengthened its existing judicial reforms nor carved out a new line of action.
