Security imperatives of Quetta, Peshawar
Security imperatives of Quetta, Peshawar
Siddiq Baluch
Editor's Blog

QUETTA: Sectarian terrorists attacked the Agriculture Training Institute in Peshawar killing 11 people, most of them students of the Institute, and wounding around 40 others. However, majority of the injured were discharged from various hospitals after necessary treatment.

QUETTA: Sectarian terrorists attacked the Agriculture Training Institute in Peshawar killing 11 people, most of them students of the Institute, and wounding around 40 others. However, majority of the injured were discharged from various hospitals after necessary treatment.

Around 17 people, including members of the Police and security forces, are getting medical treatment at various Peshawar Hospitals.

The Tehrik Taliban, Swat Chapter, claimed the responsibility of the attack. All the three terrorists were gunned down in no time following their attack on the educational institution.

According to official sources, three terrorists barged into the premises of the Agriculture Training Institutes wearing veil. They came in an auto-rickshaw and started their killing operation, official sources told newsmen.

They announced their arrival by launching a grenade attack. When the students came out of their rooms, the terrorists started indiscriminate firing on them leaving seven people dead, including the watchman of the Institute, on the spot.

The anti-terror squad of the Peshawar Police rushed to the spot and started battling the terrorists. Soon after troops rushed to the spot and joined the operation against the terrorists. First of all, the troops and rescued the remaining students trapped in the firing.

All the three gunmen were shot dead by the police and the security forces and by 10 a.m., the operation was complete and the institute was declared clear.

Police and security forces recovered a large quantity of weapons, including hand grenades. All the three terrorists were reportedly wearing suicide vests but they did not get a chance to explode those suicide vests.

Official and hospital sources confirmed that 12 people embraced Shahadat and around 40 injured in the gun battle with the terrorists who raided the Directorate of the Agriculture Training Institute. Majority of the injured were discharged from various hospitals after providing them necessary treatment and they were allowed to go home.

Security sources told the media that the terrorists were commanded by their higher ups from Afghanistan. They were in constant communication with their command inside Afghanistan confirming that the Afghan soil is being used against Pakistan in carrying out subversive and terrorist activities.

It was also confirmed by the DG ISPR while talking to TV channels soon after the terrorist attack in Peshawar that the terrorists were constantly in communication with people in Afghanistan during the attack.

There are also indications that other illegal immigrants from Afghanistan had played the role of facilitators. The security forces are investigating the matter and collective evidence and trying to locate the local facilitators of the attack.

During the interviews with various channels, the DG ISPR demanded early repatriation of all Afghan nationals, both refugees and illegal immigrants, for making Pakistan safe from terror threats in future.

The Government had extended the stay of Afghans for one complete year following an intervention of the Pakhtun leaders of religious and secular parties. The ousted Prime Minister had obliged his political allies by extending the stay of all Afghans for one complete year.

Rest of Pakistan, particularly the security establishment, had been demanding early repatriation of Afghans, both refugees and illegal immigrants, to their country as they are posing a serious threat to the people and the country as a whole.

On the other hand, the rulers at the Centre were found appeasing the Kabul Government not to create more problems for the Kabul rulers. Presumably, they expected to improve relations with Kabul denying a foothold for the Indians in Afghanistan. They have mistaken on this issue as India and Afghanistan had become strategic partners against Pakistan with the support and backing of the United States.

There is no question that Afghanistan conceding the demands from Pakistan on any issue without consulting or dictates from India. Thus all the decisions of the political Government were misplaced and finally backfired.

It is confirmed in the recent wave of terror attacks originating from Afghanistan leaving many people killed. There is a visible increase in the terror attacks in Balochistan and KPK with clear indications that the same originating from Afghanistan.

The security situation around Pakistan is taking a critical turn after President Trump announced his policy on South Asia with specific reference to Afghanistan. Thus the Government of Pakistan should constantly review the policy issues for the benefit of our own country and people and take firm and timely decisions to defend national sovereignty and integrity.

The foremost decision should be the early repatriation of all Afghans beginning with the illegal immigrants numbering millions spread over all over Pakistan. There should be no further extension in the stay of Afghan refugees and by December 31, they must leave Pakistan by all means.

The illegal immigrants were not covered by any international or bilateral agreement with Afghanistan and thus they should leave first and the security forces should take prompt action to this affect rounding them up from all mega sensitive areas close to the Afghan borders. Priority should be given to Quetta, the seat of Provincial Government, top priority in clearing the illegal immigrants from the valley. The security operations should begin from Quetta and Peshawar if the Government is making both the provincial capital safe from further terrorist attacks. At the moment, the terrorists from Afghanistan are carrying out attacks at will and the Government failed to plug such deadly attacks.

It is surprising that there is no action plan visible at the moment to send the Afghans back to their country. Or the Government implements the decision to send them back to Afghanistan before last date. The Government must secure the provincial capitals of Quetta and Peshawar as it came under frequent attacks from terrorists.