I know these analogies are becoming quite a cliche. 26/11 itself was characterised as India’s 9/11. However, it’s difficult to ignore the chilling parallels, howsoever remote the similarities may be.
Every morning, one of the first things I do is to switch on the TV news channel. And this morning there it was. Terrorists dressed as policemen stormed the police training academy in Lahore. There were explosions reported at eight places. As minutes rolled by, the similarity to the Mumbai terror attack was beginning to emerge.
Geo TV report here; PTI report here.
I don’t know how long will this last. But this is going to trigger another round of fingerpointing and blame game.
Look at the timing: On March 3, the Sri Lankan cricketers were attacked in Lahore. On March 27, a mosque was bombed in northwest Pak. There are now increased indications that the US-sponsored war on terror is gradually moving to Pakistan from Afghanistan. In that context, yesterday, US President Barack Obama told Bob Schieffer in Face the Nation on CBS that the US was not planning to send ground troops to Pakistan; but he made this remark conditional to Pakistan’s support to war on terror. (Remember, a politician’s denial is as significant as his affirmation). Now how this latest incident will change the US perception of the region remains to be seen.
Through the month we had so much political turmoil in Pakistan, but luckily it was all amicably resolved. No one wants a buring neighbourhood. A peaceful Pakistan is a desire of not just Pakistanis but Indians as well. The seeming spiralling of the ground situation in Pakistan is worrying.
War on terror is one thing. That’s only one part of the solution. Determining and exterminating the genesis of radicalism should be the larger goal. But does anyone have the time or broader perspective for it? When will our lives and limbs be safe?
In Europe its exactly the same 😦
Can we as normal people do something about it??
I think not, maybe a little, but my opinion does not count 😉
Really… as an Indian, I really want to see peace prevailing in Pakistan. It is too disturbing to think about the lives of common man there… so insecure they must be feeling…
we are feeling sad for how our political leaders are reacting to all that is happening all around…they are all acting so immature. no one wants to accept the responsibility, the blame game will not get us anywhere. I think we need to be blamed too. Wen it was all happening in the tribal belt, we didnt realize that soon the whole country would be suffering cuz of it. if we can have a long march for the lawyers, why cant we have a long march for the people in waziristan who have no water, no electricity and no jobs. Obviously, it is easy for Taliban (and many other forces working against Pakistan) to exploit the sentiments of such people.
@ Anya:
Ya these troubles have a way influencing people and areas beyond national borders. Not just commerce, even violence have been globalised.
@ Yamini:
It’s a myth that people in Pakistan aren’t affected by terror. They are in some ways even more badly placed than us.
@ Leena:
Thanks a lot for the comment. Politicians are the same everywhere. I agree, radical movements flourish because of lack of development and poor standard of living. Our politicians often fight for the wrong cause, they get their priorities wrong.
“Every morning, one of the first things I do is to switch on the TV news channel”
There hasn’t been a single day of rest for violence. Everyday we hear of people being victims of terrorism.
If we keep pointing our fingers on others, not only does it complicate the problem, we also end up taking part in the blame game.
Its time for individual action. We should be role models for ourselves and stop day to day criminal activities. Only then will it help our nation, only then will it help the world.
@ Nischita:
Thanks for your comment. Indeed there is no point in blamegame. And as you rightly say it’s time for some constructive action. When our politicians themselves are overtly or covertly supporting violence in one form or the other, how genuinely can we ever fight terrorism?
but there has to be a way that we as individuals could perhaps help fight terrorism…i dont think we can trust our politicians
@ Leena:
Sad that we can’t trust our politicians. Because a democratic society is only as good as its politicians. If politicians are useless, there’s not much of hope for the citiizens.
Now they want to get off that tiger they fed with blood and it wont allow them to.
How we all wish it should stop.