The cities of Quetta and Parachinar were attacked on Friday resulting in deaths of at least 38 people. Quetta was targeted first as a suicide blast that shook Shuhada Chowk in Gulistan Road area resulting in at least 13 deaths. The blast was powerful enough that it was heard across the city, shattering windows of nearby buildings. TV footage showed several badly damaged cars and a road littered with broken glass.
The country was still shocked by the news of the attack in Quetta when more bad news came in the form of twin bombings in Parachinar, a city that has frequently been targeted. At least 25 people were feared dead in the bombing and over 100 injured. The twin blasts were reported to have occurred in Turi Market near Tal Adda, where a bus terminal is also located. The second explosion reportedly targetted rescuers and bystanders who rushed to aid those who had been hurt in the first blast.
This is not the first time that Parachinar has been targeted this year, back in March the city suffered a similar tragedy when 23 people were killed in a car bomb and more than 70 others were wounded. Before that the city was also targeted in January when 25 people were killed and 87 others suffered injuries when a bomb went off during peak business hours at a crowded vegetable market.
The city has been under strict security surveillance since the attacks in January and March as Army and paramilitary personnel set up checkpoints on all routes leading to the town and visitors and vehicles go through extensive search and identification process. The repeated attacks on the city despite heavy security pose some serious questions.
There is no denying the fact that foreign intelligence agencies are most likely involved in terror attacks inside Pakistan, just yesterday convicted Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav etitioned for mercy. The Indian spy had admitted in his confessional video that Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) sponsored various terrorist activities in Pakistan. A number of attacks in Pakistan in the past also traced their roots in Afghanistan.
Despite these obvious challenges and threats, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that such attacks don’t happen. Quetta and Parachinar have both been repeatedly targeted and the government must take more responsibility and protect its citizens.
Parachinar and Quetta have been repeatedly targeted by terrorists.
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