Pak-Army in Operation "Zarb-e-Azb" against terrorists |
One may have heard
the stories of quarrel between Police officers of two different Police Stations
over the boundary or area of responsibility which leads to the benefit of culprits.
However, the struggle to deny responsibility of attack over country’s largest
Karachi airport; which proves at least one thing that terrorists might have
failed to achieve their target, but at least Provincial and Federal governments
both have failed. This is true that security arrangements and administration of
Airports is responsibility of Federal govt.
but this is also bitter reality that Karachi airport administered by
Federal govt. is located in Karachi Sindh for which Provincial govt. is responsible
for the security as well as scrutiny of persons visiting airport. Due to this
immature behavior of our governments not only terrorists succeeded in attack
over airport, dozens of families lost their only source of income and image of
Pakistan had been hurt all over the world. The attitude of our governments
aside, some our intellectuals also practiced same lack of sensibility and
started creating chaos among public (as they always do) that why our
intelligence agencies failed to detect movement or transportation of such a big
amount weapons and inform govt.
regarding the terrorists’ plan of attack over airport? While on the other hand
why only airports, the security arrangements and hurdles outside all important
buildings like District Courts, Railway stations etc. all are meant to stop any
attempt by the terrorists. Even innocent children are aware that concrete
blocks on the main gates of their schools are for thwarting any attempt by the
terrorists. However, after the questions and concerns raised by media,
intelligence agencies on the Federal level had to give the explanation that not
only Civil Aviation Authority but Sindh as well as federal govt. had been
warned three times in black and white of possible attack by the terrorists. Moreover,
after Karachi airport terrorist attack, responsible departments had been warned
that terrorists may attack big mall in Karachi and take people there as
hostage.
Terrorists that attacked Karachi airport |
Regarding amount of
weapons, their identity etc. I have already expressed concerns in my previous
post that it is impossible for terrorists to pass through security check points
and carryout assault directly; except that weapons had been already dumped in
the airport. Airport administration and govt. tried to hide their incapability
by saying that terrorists were in the uniform of Airport Security Force due to
which they were not identified and knapped on time. Now one should ask those
forwarding this lame excuse that where in the whole world including Pakistan,
Airport Security personnel fulfill their duty with loaded rocket launchers
along with spare rockets, dozens of hand grenades hanging with his uniform and
Kalashnikovs.
However, despite of
the unserious and astonishing attitude of federal and provincial governments;
security officer of Karachi airport revealed to a English daily on the
condition of non-disclosure of his name that terrorists dumped weapons a day
before the attack in the premises of airport for which they had support from
inside the airport. According to this report, full support was extended to
terrorists from inside. To what extent this claim is true and officials of what
level were on the side of the terrorists, what were the basis of their support
for terrorists religious or just bribe? They made deal of the lives of their
colleagues, passengers and image of Pakistan; all this will be clarified after
investigations. However, acceptance of responsibility by Taliban for attack
over airport as a revenge of Hakim-Ullah Mehsood’s murder but after few days
another terrorist organization, “Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan” claimed that
their terrorists were involved in this attack as a revenge of bombardment of
security forces in tribal areas.
Terrorists... |
It does not end
here, after Uzbek Movement claimed responsibility by uploading pictures of
their ten terrorists from different angles on their social media website; the
report presented in UNO that Uzbek and Pakistani Al-Qaeda terrorists are
conducting attacks over Afghan forces.
What does this report mean; another charge sheet against Pakistan? Or is
this an attempt to force Pakistani and Afghan army in another war. According to
New York Times the report presented in the UNO claims that Al-Qaeda Uzbek
terrorists are continuously targeting Afghan forces which might be a threat to
international peace. According to the report NATO forces had not yet withdrawn
from Afghanistan but terrorist attack are still going on which are a threat to
the Afghanistan but South and Central Asia, peace as well. This report had been
forwarded by those experts in UNO who are responsible to monitor ban that had
been imposed over Taliban; this report claims that TTP linked with Al-Qaeda,
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Lashkar-e-Taiba are attacking Afghan forces in Eastern
and Southern Afghanistan. This is also a bitter reality that after every
terrorist attack US and Indian media starts propaganda against Pakistan.
Pakistan is the only country of the world that is target of terrorists since
USA had launched her so-called War on Terror. American higher officials and
defense analysts have confessed occasionally that India is directly involved in
the terrorism in Pakistan via Afghanistan but our Foreign Policy is aimed at “Trade
with India at all Costs”.
Let’s come back to
our today’s topic that is the attack over Karachi Airport (the administrative
shortcomings would be discussed later) which has exhausted the patience of
govt. regarding operation against terrorists otherwise from last one year after
every terrorist attack govt. had been singing the chorus of negotiations with
Taliban and terrorists while Taliban kept on targeting innocent people in their
terrorist activities. After seeing the unserious attitude of the negotiation
committee for peace talks with Taliban; defense analysts had said that govt.
announces negotiations but does not take any serious steps for negotiations.
Still names of the participants of the committees for negotiations had not been
specified, defense analysts said that in the name of negotiations few govt.
advisors are buying time for terrorists to reestablish themselves, find safe
heavens before operation, dump weapons from Afghanistan etc. because solution
of terrorism is not in the negotiations or peace talks but devastating
operation. The delay of 8 months in the operation by govt. resulted in loss of
innocent lives, property of billions had been destroyed and Central leadership
of TTP fled to Afghanistan to reorganize under American umbrella.
Operation
“Zarb-e-Azab” had been started for which fresh troops had been sent to
Waziristan agency; the number of troops present there and in the way they are
advancing towards enemy, nation is hopeful that Pak-army will crush terrorists.
Nation supports Pakistani forces in this operation. Prime Minister had also
expressed intention to stand with the forces in this operation against
terrorists in his speech but this should not be limited to speeches only. Prime
Minister should visit the frontlines in order to encourage our soldiers that
they are not alone in this war of defense of motherland. Moreover, terrorists
are capable of taking steps to fulfill their nefarious designs through their
supporters that are already hiding in the cities and they have already shown
this so in spite of depending on the corrupt system of police, govt. should
chalk out a security plan just like the Islamabad in coordination with Pakistan
army in order to thwart any terrorist plan.
Destruction at Karachi Airport due to Terrorist Attack |
Let’s come back
towards loopholes in the security and ill-administration of Karachi airport. As
per international laws of CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) holding Emergency
Exercise, Fire Exercise once in a year is compulsory; so any such compulsory
had been ever held on Jinnah Airport Karachi in past years. Karachi airport is
not only the largest airport of Pakistan but one of the largest airports of the
South Asia. As per rules the Airport Manager of such an important airport shall
must have experience of managing a medium level airport. Does the current
manager fulfil these conditions? According to the reports Senior Officer GM of
the Karachi airport was transferred to Lahore so that a Junior and
inexperienced person may be appointed as airport manager due to close relations
with Chief of CAA who was out of country on 4 months leave that he had procured
from CAA Chief in spite of his Director. Another jolting report is that Deputy
Airport Manager of Karachi airport is an engineer and has no experience of
administration and appointed due to close relations with CAA Chief once again. Does
anyone has the courage to ask Airport Manager that according to the Standing
Orders Procedure had he informed higher officials regarding technical and
administrative problems being faced by airport administration in which he had
mentioned inexperience and leave of subordinates? Why was the tender given to
the water tankers to bring water outside of airport while airport had such
facility? Does not this mean that water pumps installed in the airport are no
more functional, is not this the responsibility of airport administration to
keep these pumps in working condition? Weak boundary wall of airport from cargo
site was known by the everyone working on the airport; so was not this the responsibility
of the airport manager to inform his higher ups? However, after terrorist
attack when this question was raised he prepared a report in past date and
handed over to his lovely Chief of CAA. If we look at these concerns and
nepotism as presented above not only in all the airports but all the govt.
departments are undergoing same lack of sense of responsibility which may cause
some big tragedy in the backdrop of current operation at Waziristan. Moreover,
just like TERRORISM, Incapability had also become one of the national
tragedies…
Written by Khalid Baig,
Published in Daily Nawa-i-Waqt,
Date: 20-21 June 2014.
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