The terrorist takeover of the Karachi Police Office might be over, but it still leaves behind disturbing questions for all citizens of the country as to why terrorists are managing to take over police intsllations with such ease. Both Karachi and the Bannu CTD attack show, the police needs the Army to bail them out in such an extreme situation. Is this because the military recruits a superior type of human being, or because the Army simply has more money thrown at bit for training and equipment? In either case, whether recruitment procedures or funding, it is the government which must do what is necessary. The Peshawar blast inside the Police Lines, where policemen constituted most of the 100 fatalities, could not be blamed on either funding or recruitment, but also showed that most police installations are soft targets. Is it any wonder that attacks have now come in two provinces? Are the other two to follow?
It is a kind of left-handed compliment from the terrorists, showing that the police have been hurting them. However, it is worth asking about the negotiations that were being conducted, which were recently broken off, and how far the terrorists used these negotiations to recoup their earlier losses and strengthen themselves. It would be ironic if the very forces that are now having to save the police, had given the terrorists the opportunity to develop the capacity for such attacks by giving them the breathing-space to be got from negotiations. Unless the lesson is learnt by the negotiators, from this series of attacks, that the task is beyond their ability, and should be left to the political leadership, they will have gone in vain.
It should not be forgotten that the fight against terrorism has not been fought by the Army alone, as the police has had a leading role. It should be remembered that the duty of safeguarding the citizen rests with the police, while the Army is tasked with the defence of the country as a whole. It is clear that the policy of allowing the Army the lead role is not working; and along with civilians, their protectors are also falling victim. Apart from such immediate measures as identifying weakensses and remedying them, capacity building must also be enhanced, and the police forces of all provinces must be made capable of combatting the enemy in our midst.
