Terror attacks and Parachinar have almost become synonyms, with the recent attack that claimed the lives of at least 23 people being the ninth major terror attack to hit the city in the last ten years. That equates to roughly one major terror incident every year. The recent attack is also the second deadly terror attack to hit the city in the current year, in January this year at least twenty-seven people were killed and eighty-seven injured in a blast at vegetable market in the city. The target of the attacks in Parachinar is the Shia community who has laid countless lives in this war. There were also television reports that security forces opened fired when a large crowd tried to protest in front of the political agents’ office (something that an investigation will confirm). The repeated attacks on the city’s Shia community raise a number of questions, the most obvious being; how do the terrorists keep on striking the city with such ease? Why are stringent security measures not taken? Have the facilitators and perpetrators of the previous attacks being caught? Can our law enforcement agencies not ensure that the city’s sufferings end? The city has been repeatedly hit by terror attacks and there seems to be no end. The protest after the most recent attack resulted in a meeting between the elders and military and civil authorities. It was decided at the jirga that an investigation would be conducted to ascertain who was involved in opening fire at the protesters. Also, the elders were assured, an adequate action would be taken against those found guilty. The authorities assured the jirga that security arrangements for Parachinar would be improved. The usual routine of condemnations after the attack was set in motion soon after the attack, with the Prime Minister, President and heads of major political parties condemning the attack. Compensation was promised and statements were issued that the nation will never give up the war against terror. But all this routine stuff does very little to condole people who lost their loved ones. The city has witnessed bloodshed over and over again and all the residents have got are promises; promises that are still a dream. As pointed out Parachinar has been struck twice this year, apart from the attacks targeting the city, all four provinces of the country have witnessed terror attacks. Punjab’s capital Lahore was targeted in February that left at least 13 people dead, soon after a terror attack struck the Mohmand Agency and there was no respite as just a day later a horrific suicide bombing targeted the Sehwan shrine killing at least 88 people. The death toll from terror attacks this year is upward of 150. The most unfortunate thing though is that many in the society are still opposed to the glaring fact staring them in the eyes; that most of these attacks have roots in sectarianism. There have been more than a hundred sectarian attacks on places of worship in the last 15 years. It is time that we stop finding excuses and name the monsters we are facing. There is no doubt that elements in Afghanistan are carrying out anti-Pakistan activities, that includes terror attacks. But we must also ensure that our own territory is entirely terror free & yet again there is the small matter of lack of implementation on the National Action Plan; the plan that seems to be napping for now. Action, not statements is the need of the hour.
