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Citizen
ISLAMABAD: The brazen simultaneous suicide attacks at separate places in Pakistan on Thursday accompanied by guerrilla-style operations clearly Pakistan losing wore against Taliban? (AP Photo)
demonstrate that the Taliban retain the might to take on the state at several fronts despite setbacks in Swat in Pakistans northwest.
The most worrying factor, however, for Islamabad is that the attacks bear the fingerprints of the Punjabi terror outfits which are rallying around the Taliban to make things worse for the Pakistan regime. The government is finding itself helpless in the face of destabilizing attacks that have intensified after the militia regrouped after the death of its ruthless commander Baitullah Mehsud in a US drone attack in August.
The real threat of sophisticated militant attacks now comes from Punjab where militants have engaged the security forces in face-to-face fighting, an official said.
Lahore has become a prime target. Terrorists have carried out several attacks on the city, Pakistans cultural and political hub. In March, insurgents attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team who had come to Lahore for a tournament and dealt a body blow to Pakistani cricket.
Punjabi terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), with strong links with the Taliban and al-Qaida, is believed to have masterminded the attack. The Punjabi terrorists and Taliban nexus means Pakistan has to fight the war on many fronts and it cant be won just by driving militants out of the Swat.
LeJ terrorist Mohammed Aqeel alias Dr Usman, one of the accused in the attack on the cricketers, was arrested after he led the attack on Pakistan armys headquarters in Rawalpindi last week.
Similarly, gunmen from militant outfits in southern Punjab had earlier stormed the Manawan police academy in Lahore, which was attacked on Thursday as well. The attacks, an obvious tactic to frighten Pakistan from launching the Waziristan operation, seem to be working. Soon after the Pakistan army headquarters was stormed, the ruling ANP in Pakistans northwest asked Islamabad to reconsider the Waziristan operation.
All militant attacks carried out in Lahore and other parts of Punjab in the last one year have been traced to Punjabi outfits LeJ and Maulana Masood Azhar led Jaish-e-Mohammad. Jaish is also responsible for several attacks in India including the audacious attack on Parliament in 2001.
The repeated strikes in the past two weeks clearly show that the militants are equally adept at both guerrilla warfare and unleashing suicide attacks. They have targeted crowded markets to terrorise the masses, an official said.
The Taliban have threatened to continue the attacks if the government goes ahead with the Waziristan offensive.
Weve enough bombers and they are asking me to let them sacrifice their lives, but well send suicide bombers only if the government acts against us, a Taliban commander said.
In Islamabad, the rulers are dithering and there is no political consensus on tackling terror. We should stop playing games of good and bad Taliban on our eastern (Indian) and western fronts, said political analyst Amir Mateen.
demonstrate that the Taliban retain the might to take on the state at several fronts despite setbacks in Swat in Pakistans northwest.
The most worrying factor, however, for Islamabad is that the attacks bear the fingerprints of the Punjabi terror outfits which are rallying around the Taliban to make things worse for the Pakistan regime. The government is finding itself helpless in the face of destabilizing attacks that have intensified after the militia regrouped after the death of its ruthless commander Baitullah Mehsud in a US drone attack in August.
The real threat of sophisticated militant attacks now comes from Punjab where militants have engaged the security forces in face-to-face fighting, an official said.
Lahore has become a prime target. Terrorists have carried out several attacks on the city, Pakistans cultural and political hub. In March, insurgents attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team who had come to Lahore for a tournament and dealt a body blow to Pakistani cricket.
Punjabi terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), with strong links with the Taliban and al-Qaida, is believed to have masterminded the attack. The Punjabi terrorists and Taliban nexus means Pakistan has to fight the war on many fronts and it cant be won just by driving militants out of the Swat.
LeJ terrorist Mohammed Aqeel alias Dr Usman, one of the accused in the attack on the cricketers, was arrested after he led the attack on Pakistan armys headquarters in Rawalpindi last week.
Similarly, gunmen from militant outfits in southern Punjab had earlier stormed the Manawan police academy in Lahore, which was attacked on Thursday as well. The attacks, an obvious tactic to frighten Pakistan from launching the Waziristan operation, seem to be working. Soon after the Pakistan army headquarters was stormed, the ruling ANP in Pakistans northwest asked Islamabad to reconsider the Waziristan operation.
All militant attacks carried out in Lahore and other parts of Punjab in the last one year have been traced to Punjabi outfits LeJ and Maulana Masood Azhar led Jaish-e-Mohammad. Jaish is also responsible for several attacks in India including the audacious attack on Parliament in 2001.
The repeated strikes in the past two weeks clearly show that the militants are equally adept at both guerrilla warfare and unleashing suicide attacks. They have targeted crowded markets to terrorise the masses, an official said.
The Taliban have threatened to continue the attacks if the government goes ahead with the Waziristan offensive.
Weve enough bombers and they are asking me to let them sacrifice their lives, but well send suicide bombers only if the government acts against us, a Taliban commander said.
In Islamabad, the rulers are dithering and there is no political consensus on tackling terror. We should stop playing games of good and bad Taliban on our eastern (Indian) and western fronts, said political analyst Amir Mateen.
