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On Monday, terrorists used machine guns and grenades to launch a savage attack on a police training academy in Manawan, leaving 15 policemen dead and 150 injured. Eyewitness accounts estimate some 20 militants carried out the attack and that at least 11 explosions were heard through the course of the morning.
This attack comes on the heels of the militant attack against the Sri Lankan cricket team, which occured on March 3, 2009. Before that, the penultimate day of the World Performing Arts Festival was marred by three explosions on November 22, 2008.
Why is Lahore increasingly the target of terrorist attacks? Does the ongoing political tussle in the Punjab have any relation to the security situation? Who is responsible for ensuring the safety of Lahore’s residents? How can the Walled City be secured against terrorist attacks?
Are you in Lahore? Are you or anyone you know close to the police academy? If yes, please share eyewitness accounts from Manawan with Dawn.com.
Its time for the Pakistani people to show their strength. Unless the public will is strong to fight terrorism, no battle can be won. People must understand that supporting a war for any cause is ultimately going to be harmful for one and all.
Stop war against terrorism. It’s not our war. Its war imposed on us by some one else that in turn causing domestic problem by creating extremists in our motherland. Extremists can easily convince our young believers by this simple argument”Pakistan regime is fighting for crusaders against Muslims and killing them. It is anti Islamic and it’s absolute right to wage war against them”. Unfortunately the powerful elite are doing what the West wants them to do. We are destroying our own country. When I say we it means we “People, Army, politicians and even the religious groups”. It’s better to be hungry and starving that to play in the hands of other powers. People of Pakistan have the right to decide the fate of their motherland not the Obama and company
Get assistance from Israel. We are good for nothing.
I have a problem with this very topic. Why are we talking about just Lahore being secured? What about the rest of Pakistan? Has the Pakistani elite given up on the rest of Pakistan? Or is it that it just cant think beyond itself and its immediate surrounding?
I believe that the correct question to ask here is how can PAKISTAN be secured from terrorists. These events are in my opinion a result of our segmented thinking and failure to see the big picture.
Well, lets start by accepting that state has failed yet again and if recent history is of any evidence then we will see President and Primeminister’s condemnation without any concrete action, some MOLA BUKSH claims from our Interior Ministry (Specially from the Interior Advisor)and it is impossible to expect sense and restriant from the current chief executive of Punjab. Government should not be surprised to see a paradigm shift in our society where human survival instincts will drive people to cooperate at community level and disengage from state and its functions-take matters in their own hands and above all observe the policy of self reliance to survive. We may witness thousands of tiny states within state and the process will be catalyzed by the oldest instinct known to mankind; survival.
CCTV is the best solution to protect against Terrorists and their activities. Karachi and Lahore should be declared as Video Cities. All Streets and roads should have CCTV recording 24/7. Govt can’t bear the charges incurred Civilians and Multi national companies, banks and private organization should come forward and install cameras surroundings their offices/banks/residents etc. Each and every individual/company should be allotted a specific area to record the illegal activities. City Nazims will organize the campaign and should distribute the area according to the requirement. This programme is according to the solgan ” ALLAH SUB SAY BARAY HAY… ALLAH DAIKH RAHA HAY” So everything will be recorded in these cities like Angels are recording our activities which will be presented in front of Allah on Youme Aakhair.
Secondly Police and Public relations should be accelerated and an old compaign like “Police ka hay fard Madad aap ki” should be re-introduced again.
Lahore, and the whole of Pakistan, can be secured only after decimating the jihadi terrorist groups breeding within Pakistan. Until this is done, no one can be secure in Pakistan. The message for the terrorists should be: It is easy to die or kill, but very difficult to live or let live. You thing you are macho? Try living and letting others live.
Its about time that everybody realises the situation and take some action. I know most of the people reading would say what can they do? My answer is that if you can’t do anything, then you are good for nothing and destroying a nation for your children in years to come.
Pakistan is our home land. WE need to do something about it. There were no such things as terrorists before 9/11. Just because US is giving money in “aid”, these people are being created from no where to get that “aid”.
For GOD Sakes people, wake up and save our homeland.
The incompetent ‘advisor’ to the Interior Ministry, Rehman Malik, needs to resign! His premature statements on different private TV channels are humiliating for the country. He has easily jumped to conclusions even about this latest terrorist attack.
The government has to own up to the lack of security they provide to the citizens of Pakistan. They need to accept that they have failed in the provision and maintenance of basic law and order, and security.
Instead of shifting and transferring high-ranked police officials to suit their political endeavors, the government needs to appoint competent people at these posts, who are loyal to their organizations and the country, rather than those who pay their allegiance to politicians.
If you want to secure lahore of for that matter pakistan, then simply stop sponsoring terror. Get the bad ones out, maulana massod zhar, hafiz saeed, zaki ur rehman lakhvi, dawood ibrahim, Maulana fazallula, baitulla etc and publicly punish them.
Army deployed with machine guns at major city points and at govt buildings with vechiles, random inspections of traffic, all access to city must be manned by pak army to check entry/exits into city.
By stop the support for the americans, and kill every terrorist.
Stop hating India and stop comparinig urself with india..
the question should, instead be along the lines of how ‘Pakistan’ could be secured against the terrorists attacks and not Lahore.
we should stand together under the name of ‘Pakistan’ and as ‘Pakistanis’ under all circumstances.
the institutions who are responsible for ensuring the safety of Lahore’s citizens are the same institutions who take care of Bajaur, Swat, Dir, Karachi, Muzaffarabad, Islamabad and all other areas of this country.
We can not think Lahore as an isolated target of terrorism while the whole country is going through this mayhem. Lahore can be another target, rather prime one may be, because of the living spirit of it, the rich cultural heritage that might be in contrast to the fundamentalist ideals of the other side, the financial hub the dominating province of the country etc. But how we can secure this, is a tough question. But one thing is sure that we can not secure it with the usual container and barricades approach. A detailed intelligence and vigilance by our security agencies may help but if they are allowed to do this instead of working on political mess that they are asked to do.
long live pakistan
Dear Sirs,
Today is the right time to close down terrorist around Pakistan. Even today terrorist attacked the Police Academy and it is sad news for Pakistan and the whole World. This is a bad example that even terrorist can take over Police camp. That mean civilian government is weaker than terrorists? It is the price Pakistan is paying for spreading terrorism around the world. I am very much confident that this can be stopped when ISI close down camps in Afghanistan Border and in Kashmir. And one more thing is 100% religious schools has to be closed and children need public education like Science and Maths. So that they can find good jobs and improve the country. Fundamental religious leaders should be arrested and put in jail, if they spread hate messages to children about terrorism and jighad.
Signing agreement with US is not going to help public of Pakistan or stop terrorism. Politicians get money from US, and they build house in London and in New York. I believe high profile politicians, Army officers and ISI leaders taking money from US and put in their own pockets. For show they kill few innocent people in border. But in the intelligence is running its own own terrorist camps, so that they can get more money from US.
In Pakistan, show for the public media and people is different, real fact is different. For example 15 terrorist attacked Sri Lanka team. None of them arrested, but government says foreign elements attacked. They are trying to show the terrorists are from Afghan or from India. But the fact they are trained locally. The same terror group attacking Police academy, at least this time they will find out the terrorist from which camps.
To start peace in Pakistan, the Lashkar terrorist camps should be closed first. Otherwise even God cannot save Pakistan.
First of all clear the Home Area then gateways ie with enough security personnel and public support check each and every place in the Area ie one by one and seal the checked area and after all make tight security on the gate ways of the city, this is done and won in capital city of India, Delhi. So once you have clear the area then only need to tighten the security and checking in the gateways only…..
With all due respect, I have fundamental disagreement with your blog topic. Why are we just focusing on Lahore to be saved, isn’t the whole Pakistan burning and should we not discuss on how to save Pakistan.
If we look things into that perspective, we will have to formulate a policy at the national level instead of tackling things on adhoc basis- first and foremost agenda item should be to put professionals at the helm of affairs right from the top- As long as amateurs like Rehman Malik are leading such efforts, don’t be surprised with events like today’s.
These are mercenary groups which where funded by US and Pakistan in the 80’s not they are the hired guns for who ever is the highest bidder and we all know the Highest bidder against Pakistan is. Now coming to the points you raised, Lahore is the target because it has the least paramilitary presence as compared to other Provincial Capitals, Making the local police (easy targets) against these well trained mercenary outfits (hired by you know who). Secondly we can say that political situation is diverting the attention of the security agencies from the real problem. We should resolve the disputes as nothing should be before the interest of Pakistan and Pakistani People.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I believe Pakistan, in its haste to find “strategeic depth” in Afghanistan, has long betted on the wrong genie. Now, the genie is out of the bottle. The genie is just doing what it does best- kill.
When will Pakistan start looking at things independent of “the Indian angle”?