Security stocktaking
Friday’s brazen attack by the banned TTP on the Karachi Police Office came as a violent jolt to the system. It underscored the high vulnerability of what should be well-protected cities to terrorist threats. The raid should lead to some stocktaking to identify the security and intelligence lapses that led to the incident. Equally important is the need for the civilian and military leadership to jointly hammer out a workable counterterrorism policy — indeed, a consensus that warring political parties must also attempt to evolve together. Unfortunately, while the militants are committed to their bloodthirsty agenda, the state is stumbling over an effective counter-strategy.
The situation which led to the assault did not develop overnight. Those who let the militants back into Pakistan — whether members of the former PTI government, or the previous military leadership — must explain.
At present, PTI leaders are accusing former COAS Qamar Bajwa of allowing TTP fighters and their families back into Pakistan during the doomed peace negotiations with the terrorist group. While the previous military leadership did allow TTP cadres to return, former prime minister Imran Khan also defended this disastrous policy, stating that the choice was either between killing “all of them” or reaching an agreement and letting the militants settle in KP.
Today, we are reaping the bitter harvest of permitting large numbers of militants to return to Pakistan. Secondly, whether it is Karachi or some other big city in the country, a support network already exists for the militants in the form of ‘jihadi’ and sectarian actors sympathetic to the TTP’s cause. These elements provide shelter and support to their ideological comrades, allowing them to melt away into the urban sprawl. Hence any counterterrorism policy must also target these militant facilitation networks already present in Pakistan.
Experts have called for a security audit in the wake of the Karachi attack. Certainly, a thorough analysis of the weaknesses needs to be conducted. But looking at the big picture, strong leadership — which is in very short supply — is needed to send a stern message to the terrorists — that the state will not allow the militants to carry out their murderous agenda.
Sadly, our civilian leadership is too busy trading invective, while the military has also done little to assure the people that it will crush the terrorist threat. The much-touted multiparty conference on terrorism has been twice postponed, perhaps reflecting the lack of importance our ruling elite attach to matters of public safety. This apathy must end. Sindh police officers, backed by Rangers and military personnel, bravely put an end to Friday’s siege. The state needs to do its bit and reassure our front-line security personnel, and the population, that it recognises the nature of the threat, and is doing all it can to neutralise it.
Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2023
Courting arrest
THE PTI’s ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’, which it plans to commence from Lahore on Wednesday, Feb 22, will be an acid test of the party’s as yet untested street power. There is no denying that the party is capable of pulling large crowds for its jalsas in most major cities of the country. However, there is a major difference between asking supporters to brave a few hours of hassle to hear their leaders speak and expecting them to commit to spending an indefinite length of time behind bars. Will the supporters deliver? It may be recalled that, just over a decade ago, the PTI had been mocked relentlessly after one of its supporters had complained on camera about facing off with the police while protesting on a hot day. “How are we to bring about a revolution if the police keep beating us up?” he had asked the nation. Has the party’s support base finally outgrown this youthful naiveté? It remains to be seen.
Another equally important question is whether Mr Khan really believes he can pull off a ‘jail bharo’ movement or whether he is just pushing yet another button to prompt the establishment to intervene. He has lately seemed quite averse to spending any time behind bars, having filed bail pleas in multiple courts. In case the movement kicks off in earnest, he would be expected to lead from the front. Is he ready to make that sacrifice for his political goals? Yet another question concerns the grounds on which PTI supporters will court arrest. The police can only take them in custody if they have broken some law; so which law will it be? There is clearly a lot that remains up in the air as the party embarks on its new adventure. Yet, however tempting it may seem for the government to seize this opportunity to clamp down on the PTI, it would be better served by exercising restraint. The PDM government, and especially the PML-N, have done themselves no favours by acting with aggression while continuing to bungle basic governance and economic management. They will gain nothing by vitiating the political environment further with a heavy-handed response. Instead of making more unforced errors that may give their rival’s narrative another fillip, they would be best served by simply sitting back and letting events take their course.
Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2023
Leopard’s day out
THINGS got about as wild as they can get in Islamabad’s DHA Phase II on Friday, when a leopard kept as a pet by a known ‘unknown citizen’ escaped captivity and went on the lam, keeping the entire neighbourhood, as well as a fascinated nation, occupied for a good six hours as frantic wildlife workers scrambled to remove it to safety. The magnificent beast — considerably agitated by his ordeal — was finally tranquillised at around 10pm, but not before it had injured three individuals. It has since been removed to a sanctuary housed in the federal capital’s now-shuttered Marghazar Zoo. Named ‘Deeaitchay’ by the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board staff, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the neighbourhood where it was found, it is reported to be in good health.
The episode has once again shone a spotlight on the practice of keeping wild animals as exotic pets, instances of which keep coming to light. In 2020, the Sindh Wildlife Department had to step in after reports that a pair of giraffes was being kept in a residence in Karachi’s DHA. Nowadays, one can also frequently find videos on social media of lions being kept as some kind of status symbol by Pakistani citizens. The fact is that while these creatures may be a source of fascination and provide some form of joy to their keepers, they remain dangerous and may revert to their animal instincts at any time. Besides, it is incredibly cruel to keep a creature meant to roam the wild confined in a small cage which is likely to stunt its physiological development. Animals have also been known to grow depressed in captivity. Therefore, it ought to be unthinkable for anyone to put them through such an ordeal for their personal pleasure. While implementing the various laws regulating the ownership of animals is important, it seems equally necessary to educate the citizenry in this regard.
Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2023