The Taliban have targeted yet another security installation in one of Pakistan’s largest cities. A suicide bomber killed eight paramilitary policemen in an attack on a headquarters in the heart of Islamabad, the nation’s capital. Five other paramilitaries were wounded in the attack.
The bomber detonated his vest after entering the back of the Frontier Constabulary camp in the F-7/3 district in Islamabad. The camp is in a supposedly secured location, near a United Nations compound that houses the UN Human Rights Council and the Jinnah supermarket.
Security forces opened fired blindly after the attack, although no casualties were reported, according to Dawn. Police and military personnel have since been issued “shoot to kill” orders against any suspected attackers, Geo News reported. One suspect thought to be involved in the attack has been detained.
The attack in Islamabad was predicted by Pakistani intelligence. Just three days ago, intelligence services said 14 suicide bombers entered Islamabad and Lahore to conduct attacks.
The Taliban have stepped up the attacks against the Pakistani security forces. The Islamabad attack caps a bloody week of Taliban attacks against security personnel in Pakistan. A suicide attack earlier today killed 17 civilians in Miramshah, North Waziristan. The bomber targeted a Frontier Corps checkpoint in the city. Yesterday, a suicide attack that targeted a senior political leader in Charsadda was foiled.
On March 30, the Taliban conducted two deadly strikes. A Taliban assault team stormed a police training center in Lahore, killing more than 30 policemen and recruits. That same day, a suicide bomber rammed into a military convoy in Bannu, killing four security personnel. On March 27, more than 70 Pakistanis were killed in a Taliban suicide attack in a mosque in Khyber.
The Islamabad bombing is also the second suicide attack in Islamabad in two weeks. On March 23, a suicide bomber killed one policeman in an attack on a Special Branch.
Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud took credit for the attacks over the past two weeks. He said the attacks were in retaliation for Pakistan’s cooperation with the US Predator campaign in the tribal areas. He also said he would strike in the US to avenge the strikes. The US hit a Taliban safe house yet again today, this time in North Waziristan. Twelve people, including Taliban and al Qaeda fighters, were reported killed.
The Taliban are on pace to exceed last year’s record of 61 suicide attacks in Pakistan. There have been 20 suicide attacks in the first quarter of 2009. The Taliban have carried out three suicide attacks during the first four days of April, nine in March, five in February, and another three in January.
11 Comments
This is all result of neglecting all other provinces than punjab and sindh.
pakistan is threatened from within in a way unimaginable
the terrorist threat is very serious
we cannot fight this alone
the state simply does not have the capacity to respond in effective manner
Sohail Mahmood
pakistan is threatened from within in a way unimaginable
the terrorist threat is very serious
we cannot fight this alone
the state simply does not have the capacity to respond in effective manner
Target: terror secretariat
The secretariat consists of three complexes owned by Jalaluddin Haqqani and run by his son Sirajuddin Haqqani. The first complex is located right in front of the Frontier Constabulary, FC Fort in main Miranshah bazaar in North Waziristan. Apparently there is a computer institute in this complex but the complex also contains compounds which are well-guarded and no-go area. The second complex is located in Sirai Darpakhel just behind Miranshah Bazaar. This complex consists of seven compounds and is believed to be the headquarters of the Taliban, who move back and forth between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The complex is believed to be commanded by diehard Taliban Bakhta Jan Afghani. The third complex, at a distance of not more than a kilometre from the Pakistan army camp in North Waziristan, is situated in Dandi Darpakhel on the road to Afghanistan.
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the state simply does not have the capacity to respond in effective manner
Backbone is more descriptive of the problem than capacity.
At least some of the time the Pakistani Federal Government is honest with itself about the suicide bombers.
Well, the Taliban proclaim they mean business.
Sohail Mahmood,
Where are you at?
I am still waiting for your response.
bard207,
Heh. I would’nt wait for any response from any one. They didnt get to this point without a heavy dose of denial.
“The state cannot fight this alone”.
Some one needs a history lesson here – when millions of Bangladeshis demanded liberation in the late 60’s/early 70’s, the Pakistan army resorted to genocide of its Bengali citizens – all in the name of preserving Pakistan. Remember, these were peace loving, innocent human beings.
But while dealing with the Taliban, now the army feigns such helplessness – this act has become so transparent now, that crying wolf is not helping any more.
In order to defeat the Taliban, first and foremost the Pakistani state MUST WANT TO. The fact is, it does not want to – the innumerable “peace” agreements show us this.
Its interesting to watch how long this charade is going to go.
NS
You are probably right in that I am waiting for a response that won’t happen.
What is disappointing is that supporters of Pakistan are encouraged to get out on the Internet and help with a positive Public Relations campaign for their country, yet they refuse to conduct a meaningful discussion about the troubles that face their country.
What is the point for them to initiate a dialog about the topic of Pakistan if they are going to resort to Downhill Skiing when someone posts a
viewpoint opposite of them? It is a waste of their time to do that and it leaves a terrible impression among the readers of this web site. The results end up being opposite of their original goal because it is a Public Relations failure rather than a success.
I agree that the Pakistani state hasn’t resolved yet that it wants to defeat the Taliban.
The fears about India being a bigger threat to the Pakistan state than the Taliban are amusing because the Taliban are killing more and seizing more land than India is. Some in India are already expecting the defeat and collapse of the Pakistani state and are contemplating a possible wave of refugees that will want to leave the ruins of Pakistan and will try to enter India.
I kinda doubt his return as well, but just in case…
http://render64.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/371/
I’ve prepared a diversion.
AMONG
THE
BELIEVERS,
R
Render,
Thanks for your post – its unbelievable that a person of such a well educated background should be living in such denial… scary. truly, scary.
Bard207,
If the Taliban takes over officially,
A.The military will have no problem dealing with them, any ways.
B. the people of Pakistan will ultimately acquiesce and learn to live under a jihadi regime. After all, they wanted not to be known as Indians so badly – i dont see them giving up yet on the idea of nation hood –
In fact living under the Taliban may not be a bad idea to them as opposed to fleeing from the place.
It is not like they are going to be welcomed by the Indian Govt ( some of the Punjabis may). We ve already had too much blood between us, and God knows that we cannot handle a refugee influx.
Just see the Iranians – no one ever thought that they would live under a brutal fundamentalist Govt after deposing the Shah – but that’s exactly what happened.
NS
From time to time, there are personal stories in the Pakistani media about some citizens readying
to leave the country. I don’t know how welcoming Great Britain will be to a huge influx of refugees
and the European Continent is probably going to be quite reluctant to take them in.
The really wealthy can go to Dubai and similar, but it won’t be possible for all to go there.
I agree that India is unlikely to welcome refugees fleeing from Pakistan because of the Islamic militants. Also, it would be a Loss of Face for some to try to go to India because it would be admitting that the Partition (Post WW II) was a failure for some Muslims and that they would be in a better situation in India.
In regards to Iran. The transformation – change from the Shah to the Shia fundamentalists was much quicker than the steady Bleeding by 1000 Cuts that Pakistan is currently going through with the Sunni militants.
This is probably the most interesting time on the Subcontinent since the Pakistan – Bangladesh Civil War (1971).