Following a deadly attack outside a church in the Pakistani city of Peshawar which left more than two hundreds dead and wounded behind; another bloody incident happened, which led to the death of at least 17 and injury to 34 others. Reports say, a bus was carrying government employees back home in the Gulbela area, some 15km north-east of the city that a bomb was exploded. Initial reports say the bomb was planted at the back of the bus. Moreover, police say that it was planted specifically to kill government employees. Peshawar, the main city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has been hit by numerous bomb and gun attacks blamed on Taliban insurgents in recent years. Even though, no group has so far claimed the responsibility of Friday’s blast, nonetheless such incidents are mostly carried out by Taliban insurgents.
About a week ago, twin attacks targeted Peshawar’s historic All Saints Church that smacked of sectarian violence which is rampant in Pakistan. Two Islamist militant groups with Taliban links said they ordered the attack to hit back at US drone strikes; however, the Pakistani Taliban condemned the attack. Correspondents say the group frequently denies responsibility for attacks which take a heavy civilian toll. Militants in Pakistan have long made religious minorities one of their targets and recent years have seen spiraling sectarian violence between Shias and Sunnis.
Pakistan is always destabilized by Taliban-linked insurgents who are targeting religious minorities in the name of religious creed. Practicing upon wrong ideology and world view, they are victimizing innocent civilians indiscriminately. Likewise, even the religious locations are not immune to terrorist acts. As a result, it is not only Christians who are attacked before their religious building but also Shias are attacked repeatedly by religious extremists while offering prayer in holy mosques.
The religious Islamist groups have been brainwashed and fed by poisonous beliefs which do not lead to the death of themselves but also to the death of many more innocent people all over the world. Their ism stereotypes many other sects, even Shias who are practicing Islam, as non-Muslim and announce Jihad against them. Their religious scholars train them military techniques in madrassahs, give them fatwa (religious creed) for jihad and send them towards disarmed people.
Training the students for killing innocent people is not the only anti-Islamic action going on in their madrassahs but also abusing the children sexually, which was revealed by a teenage who was arrested in Herat during his terrorist mission, is one of the most immoral and illegal acts. Even though, this shameful fact besmirched the Taliban, however, they boldly continue their jihad under the mask of Islam. How painful it is that they blemish Islam and other Muslims with pasting Islamic label on their foreheads.
It is a matter of great concern when innocent people, including women and children, burn in the furnace of sectarian violence, especially in Islamic countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. How surprising it is that the countries from all over the world and the international powers are struggling hand to hand to put off the fire of sectarianism, which has affected the world, meet failure. If terrorist do not be abolished then it will certainly swallow its supporters as well – the same thing happening now.
Along with Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, established in 1990, there are many other groups in Pakistan who are stoking sectarian and religious violence – notably the Sipah-i-Sahaba, Tehrik Nifaz Shariat-i-Muhammadi (TNSM), Lashkar-i-Taiba and the Jaish-i-Muhammad – which had been declared banned in January 2002 but which continue to operate with impunity under other names. Their members have been found to be involved in many attacks of a sectarian nature.
These groups have demonstrated their skill and resourcefulness in pursuit of their deadly mission. First, they have managed to indoctrinate and mobilize their workers so thoroughly as to produce suicide bombers. Only a person who is blindly committed to his particular creed and inspired by the message he has received from his mentor would kill himself in the course of his mission. His is not the case of a Palestinian driven to the depths of despair, despondency and frustration by an oppressive power which is devastating the Palestinian community and its homeland.
Moreover, it is too much amazing when the kindness and compassion of Pakistan and Afghanistan officials meet harshness. The release of Taliban prisoners especially of second-in-command Mullah Bradar, did not affect the security situation whether in Pakistan or Afghanistan at all. In addition, it is being revealed that either Mullah Bradar is not willing to do these two countries a favor by preparing a ground for peace negotiation or his position is too relegated to let him play a crucial role in this regard. So, freeing Mullah Bradar along with some other Taliban prisoners was a naïve act. Furthermore, all the struggle of the two above mentioned countries were in vain.
What will be the next plan for peace process? Releasing all the insurgents? Accepting whatever conditions are announced from Taliban? Giving a greater share in power? However the plan will be for peace process, the Taliban will never put down their arms. They are used to killing and terrorizing, even they will continue their deadly actions for fun. So, in my point of view, a heavy military action is the only solution to be launched against them, because no other mechanism bore fruit.
Anyhow, as the issue of terrorist is becoming more serious day by day, international community is responsible to take serious action or launch a heavy military action if necessary. Likewise, if American forces leave the country after 2014 without any supports, it is feared that the country will burn amidst sectarian violence and terrorist acts the same as Iraq. Of course, the case of Iraq is very similar to Afghanistan and there is a strong possibility of the same destiny. So, if a more effective plan does not be made to stop terrorist act, then terrorist will be a greater international menace.