Pakistan witnessed a terrible explosion in Quetta outside a luxury hotel which killed five and injured a dozen more. The city has seen numerous incidents after being wrecked by terrorism and militancy but this was perhaps the biggest in recent months.
The Chinese ambassador was reportedly the target of the incident. The diplomat was in the city since several days but was apparently not in the hotel at the time of the incident. The high-profile target has put further spotlight on the incident and shows the conspiracies to harm Pakistan’s interests. The outlawed TTP has claimed responsibility for the attack even though the interior minister said the suspects had not been identified.
It has also been confirmed that blast was a suicide attack and a massive quantity of 80-90 kgs was used. However, the attacker could not reach the main hotel and denoted it in the parking lot or else the casualty would have increased manifold. A security alert has been issued and many cities including Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad are facing potential terror threats.
The country has seen chaos and anarchy in recent days with protests by a religious party which have not simmered down completely. Now we are once again in the midst of a terror alert which could worsen the situation. The prime minister said they will not let the scourge of terrorism rise once again. The nation has certainly made huge strides in the war against terrorism and cannot let them be erased.
The government has blamed “foreign elements” for the situation in the country. The interior minister said thousands of social media accounts fanning instability were created in India. We also saw how the government had to close down social media last week over the security situation. However, the minister should realize the real battle is on the ground which requires the cooperation of law enforcement agencies and armed forces.
It should be realized that miscreants will attempt to harm Pakistan particularly by targeting Balochistan. We have seen how CPEC projects have been stalled and are struggling to be revived. It is imperative that we don’t let our enemies succeed in their nefarious designs and move forward on the path to peace and prosperity.
