Shocking news came in from the city of Kohat, not far from the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. At least 31 people have died in a terrorist attack so far. So far; because while I`m writing reports have it that the terrorists have barricaded themselves inside the police compound and the fighting between the terrorists and the police is still on going. Out of the 31 deadly victims so far, 16 were uniformed policemen. While the situation is evolving, the group called Ittihad-ul-Mujahideen has claimed that they are responsible for the attack. This group is closely affiliated with the well-known TTP.
The barricaded compound is not just any police outfit. According to AFP, it is the district-level headquarters and houses key offices of the Counter-Terrorism Department, Special Branch, and several other police units. In other words, it is the office that is responsible for intelligence gathering. It is this very office that is supposed to protect the Pakistani citizens from terrorist violence. In other words, this is not a small incident. It is really bad news for the victims and their families, for the many more people that are injured and for the population of the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan as a whole. Intelligence services and counter-terrorism have failed.
This horrible attack is not an isolated incident. The Pakistani border region is frequently confronted with terrorist violence. It has become a pattern. It is widely known that Pakistan is blaming the neighbours, the Afghan Taliban, for supporting the TTP. The outfit is seeking to establish a fundamentalist Islamic state in Pakistan. An agenda that is firmly opposed by the Pakistani officials. Hence the political tensions between Kabul and Islamabad.
A quick Google search tells me that so far Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Türkiye, and the UN have reportedly condemned the attacks. Maybe Google has missed some others. But it seems like a disappointing harvest of international solidarity or expressions of sympathy. Given the severity of the attack, the number of victims, and the specific units that are targeted by the terrorists, one would hope for more signs of outrage and international moral support. After all, such an attack would constitute a major blow for any force working in the field of Counter Terrorism.
This incident will raise questions around effectiveness and accountability. But it will also raise questions about the potential for infiltration and the trustworthiness of policing and intelligence work. What was missed, and how could that happen? What exactly was the role of foreign agents? How is the strength of the information position of the local force? Is the relation between the local population and the police up to a desired level? Can a next attack effectively be prevented through intensified local or cross-border cooperation? Tough questions will be asked.
India has always condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. For good reasons. And there is no doubt that it will continue to do so. India has also called on many other nations to condemn terrorism. And again, there are good reasons to do so. It is a sign of humanity to stand with the victims and condemn the perpetrators. Let us call on those who have not yet reacted to yesterday’s and today’s terrible events in Kohat to still do that. It is certain that some of the expressions of solidarity will come with an offer for assistance to fix whatever wrongs there are in the approach that have led to this terrible human catastrophe.
