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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.
That’s easy. Pull out of America’s war.
I am from India and this is really heart breaking news. Hundreads of guys have joined the police force to serve the country of Pakistan and look what happened. There is no protection for those poor souls. What in the name these extremists are doing? My best friend if a muslim and i visit their house almost every other day. So, i know this is not about religion. Why in the world, these Talibans and Al-Qeadas are killing Muslims community as well? When would Pakistan govt. wake up and see the reality? These islamic extremists are not doing any favour to the Islam. They are just using this “Jeehadi” brand to kill innocents irrespective of religions. Unless people in Intelligence are corrupted, i dont believe militants can operate so freely in the country. It’s really sadding to see all this.
In my view, those who are blaming Islamic sects for this is not true.
We need loyal and trustworthy political leaders. It can be remorsefully and with confidence say that no political leader has interest in Pakistan, instead their own agenda. The proof of this statement is the one year progress and battle of political governments in all over the country.
2nd thing we need strong and trustworthy judiciary. In our country if for sometime you kept this type of terrorism onside, and see the law and order in the country with reference to robbery, dacoit, we can say that there is no law and order in the country.
Dear Sir/Madam,
Lahore and for that matter Pakistan will only be safe once we have the courage to admit our problems. I would like to say to all Pakistanis, please wake up and call this atrocity what it is. Please stop trying to find a foreign hand; please understand that this is our war. We are under attack from our own. These people, who in Waziristan and SWAT leave hanging from the trees the bodies of their victims, are our own callous murderers.
The frequent nature of these attacks does not make them any less reprehensible. These people who on one day blow a mosque full of worshippers in Pakhtunkhwa and the next day attack the very heart of Pakistan are our own people. Please admit our faults, please look at the events with open eyes, please call spade a spade and stop tying to hide behind the stupidity of “Muslims can’t do this kind of thing”. Well, they can and they are.
It is no longer possible to stay silent and see that amongst our own, the people we know, there are those who come up with conspiracy theories for everything, look for American hand in everything, and look for excuses for our own failures.
I ask people like Imran Khan (I like him and want him as our next leader), to finally give up the charade of this business of being “at war with our own people”. No sir, we are not at war with our own people as these people want to make Pakistan a Stone Age country, they want our sisters, daughters and mothers to get imprisoned in their homes.
This is not Islam, Islam teach us humility, love and compassion for fellow human beings, Islam tell us to respect, women, elder and fruit trees even when at war. Let’s call these people what they are, they are our fascists who want a totalitarian version of their own perverted view of Islam to subjugate the free people of Pakistan.
Please speak up, please…
http://real-politique.blogspot.com
By Sikander Hayat
Very strange that the Usual Conspiracy thoeries pointing to India/US/West/Israel didn`t pop up in any of these comments above. Where did all these conspiracy theorists go?
Dear Sir,
Why do talk of securing Lahore only ? Whole of South Asia needs to be secured. Securing Lahore cannot be a standalone solution. The first step should be to reform the education itself. You cannot create a civil society based on hatred. I have only goodwill towards the common pakistani. They deserve a better deal than what they are getting now.
It’s ironic to see Indians connecting every single attack with Jihad and other religious doctrines. The situation Pakistan is experiencing today is just 8 years old since the 9/11 and Bush’s ‘War on Terror’. We were living in Lahore and rest of the Pakistan peacefully despite having Jehadis and all relgious schools around.
Nadeem pointed out the possibility of hidden enemy of pakistan.
india is the open enemy for many pakistanis. then who is hidden?
it may be Taliban, Kashmir based organization like LeT or JeM.
these organizations have not given any person,who has contribute in the progress of Pakistan in economics, technology or other etc.
on the other hand they are taking advantage from your weakness and imposing their narrow brand islam on pakistan.
you and we need not society, who is ready to die for nation and community but ready to live for progress and peace.
1. Send all Afghan Refugees back to Afghanistan.
2.Restrict the people of FATA to their own areas.
3. People of WAZIRISTAN should not be allowed movement outside WAZIRISTAN.
4. ORDER ALL LAW ENFORCING agencies “SHOOT TO KILL” on siting any one with a weapon.
5. Close all madaris for six months.
There is so much hatred, so much ill-will in the world now, A third world war is what is needed to eliminate the evil and bring the order. If not in 5-10 years, it bound to happen in another 40-50 years.
The prime enemy is we, us, ourselves!!
We are grouped into extremes that do not have to be led astray – we do it ourselves: affluence v/s poverty
ignorance v/s common sense
arrogance v/s education
Obedience of law and fear of punishment are the only way to secure ourselves and our cities.
What are we waiting for??
We must bring out all law enforcement resources NOW – including army, rangers, police and whatever else we have at our disposal.
We must declare War against the invisible enemies – both physical, mental, and spiritual – and then really crack down hard!!
I think, Pakistan wholly can’t be secure without a border wall/fence, and strict border monitoring. Strict monitoring shall also include Railway passage, Airports and other ways of transportation between Afghan-Pakistan-India border. That can prevail such kind of incidents. Financial position of a country effects alot on its security, therefore pakistan should work on improving its financial position.
too many indians commenting here….what with that???
i believe india has her own fair share of home-grown terror/extremist groups. Just ask the Christians in Orissa!!
Any loss of life anywhere in the world is sad for humanity.
We should all work together to crush these extremist/violent elements with iron fist. And stomp them out like rats.
Hi,
No offence meant by my earlier mail, its just that we here are fed up of you guys supporting terrorists inspite of knowing well that they not just bleed us but are causing serious damage to your fabric in the society.
I live 4 km away from the academy. Heard about the attack at around 8:30. At around 10.00, I began to realize the seriousness and intensity of the attack. Hurried to pick my son from school which is hardly 2 km from the academy. The shrine of great Sufi Saint Madhoo Lal Hussain is hardly 2 km away from the academy. Today is the third day of Lal Hussain Urs. Devotees were busy going towards his shrine, thronging the already congested G.T.Road and oblivious of the mayhem carried out 2 km away. I thought about the message of peace and universal brotherhood which Lal Hussain preached in this city of saints and gardens.
I dont know why we failed to stop the violation and plunder of our great city. Violation of its traditions of hospitality and tolerance. I can not figure out why we continue to tolerate these violater and plunderers amongst us. Sitting on the pulpits of bone and flesh, they continue to spread their message of hate and bigotry. Tonight I am going to the shrine of Lal Hussain to lit “chiraghs and diyas” for all the innocent blood that was spilled. I will sit amongst my brothers to drink bhang, smoke pot and shout a rebel yell in defiance of the mullahs of this land.
I feel sad for the ordinary human beings suffering so much in Pakistan in these really hard times.To save lives in the future,Pakistan must close ALL madrasas forthwith.They are the breeding grounds for spreading hatred,not any useful knowledge.In those premises,government must open proper schools with mid-day meals just like in India.They can find money if they cut defence spending and funding cross-border activities.India and Pakistan face similar problem : massive poverty but huge defence expenditure.I consider ALL religions and their preachers humbug.They spread fear to increase their influence.I lead a better life without any belief in any God but I love ALL human beings.
I hope Pakistanis find the courage to face the stark facts and force the government to act.
I think we should give control to Taliban to govern us. Believe me it would be peaceful.
…
It is fact that whole Pakistan is on stake and severe threat of Islamist Militants. But now the war is between police and terrorist’s supporters. Let us count total number of policemen,number of policemen killed in terrorist attacks and total expenditures on police and then let count number of Armymen and personals in secrete agencies, total number killed and total expenditures on secrete agencies in Pakistan. Why the security agencies are failed to control entry of foreign militants in Pakistan.
The police of Pakistan is always on stake and severe threat. In future the retire officers of Police department will also write books like “fight between Army agencies and Police”. So let the civil society, self-independent judiciary,religious political factions and lawyers once again should come on streets against Usama Ladin and his allies terrorists who are killing 100 innocents poor Muslim per day in Pakistan.
i m not pakistani. but i have observed from internet that most of the pakistanis give the priority to issue like kashmir,Palestine and israel over economy and democracy.
they don’t want to see any wrong in extremist organization formed on the name of IoK(which is not part of Pakistan so far).
Pakistan has to change their priority and put issue of progress and liberalization on top.
all problems will be solved automatically.
Concerned information is not enough. Our officials must have taken useful steps to prevent these kind of threats.
I agree with Mohsin –we need to divert more resources towards proper security apparatus.
Karachi is heavily under CCTV surveillance. Same should happen in Lahore (and Peshawar also).
These people who want to attack our Pakistan will never win. They are all sick minded people with no soul. We must unite and combat this threat together.
PAKISTAN ZINDABAD
Why Lahore, our whole country bleeds and our top management sits. We donot have a clear understanding of what the danger is and how to handle it. It is high time for us to realize that our law enforcement and judiciary have to be strong and a deterrent force which can handle all critical situation. It is high time for the top police officials to take stock of the situation and instead of playing in the hands of the political elite concentrate on their core profession of law enforcement.
We need to have proper forensic setup which we lack, we need to have counter terrorism training and that through professional trainers may be from US UK or any other country who are best of the best.
It is time to wake up and put in place people who know their job not people who know only how to praise their political heads who are headless them self, like get a true anti terror expert who masters in national security not some one who has been an inspector for god sake……….
It is time that the people of Pakistan realised that the prime enemy facing Pakistan is the Taliban. They can not keep blaming the Americans; it were the muslims whos pulled the triggers on the innocent muslims. Not until the people get rid off the soft spot thay have for these depraved religious zealots, the slow death of Pakistan is inevitable.
As a first measure, we must admit that it is our own problem and will not go away simpliy if the Americans leave the region (Swat is an example). Secondly, we must close down all madrassas and any imam or preacher that advocates hatred of others must be dealt with sternly. Thirdly, there must be national campaign to discredit the teachings of the Talibans and their like minded collaborators in civil and political life.
The only possible solution for Pakistan at this time is to seal all its borders. Including the ones with Afghanistan and Iran. Then Ban the use of Guns. Punish anyone who is found with a gun. Train all the population with anti terrorism combat training. Training, awareness and education is the only way forward at the moment. For the terrorist trapped in the Compound, efforts should be taken to capture them alive and then interrogated so that this ring can be effectively smashed.
The whole nation has to wake up, and transform, Allah has said, rulers reflect the nation or the nation reflects in there rulers we all know what it means. Police and paramilitary forces are few and occupied with guarding the politicians and the elite, Police are poorly paid, badly trained,ill equipped and have been selected not on merit most of the time, they know some important person who gets them in the service, In Bahrain most of the police men are from pakistan, well trained courteous, educated, polite and perform there duty well, if they were in pakistan would they be doing the same?! i doubt it?