AS the ongoing wave of terrorism not subsiding, the Government has done well by convening a meeting of the parliamentary panel on National Security to brief the elected and party representatives on different aspects of the dangerous situation, what the law-enforcing agencies are doing to stem the rot and seek input from different shades of opinion to make the strategy fully responsive to the need of the hour.
It is hoped that the issue will be discussed threadbare and a coherent and consensus approach would emerge from the deliberations in view of the delicacy of the situation as precious lives including those of security personnel are being lost on an almost daily basis in terrorist attacks mostly on security check posts, convoys and the government installations.
The frequency and intensity of attacks in different parts of the country, particularly Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) should leave no doubt that terrorists and their masterminds have become monsters and an urgent decisive action has become a necessity.
It may also be noted that unlike the past there is no let up in terrorist incidents during Ramadan and instead their frequency has increased taking a significant human toll.
As the entire nation was still in a shock the way terrorists hijacked a train in Balochistan and martyred both civilians and law-enforcing personnel, terrorists again hit a number of targets in the two provinces of Balochistan and KP on Sunday, which claimed lives of seven people including five security forces personnel.
It is a full-fledged war as far as terrorists and their sponsors are concerned as BLA again claimed responsibility for carrying out an attack on an FC convoy of six coaches and two cars on its way to Nokundi from Quetta.
Three bodies were also recovered from Turbat, who were tortured to death.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, around two dozen terrorist attacks were carried out in different districts within 36 hours (from Friday night to Sunday), speaking volumes about the deteriorating law and order situation in the province.
Most of the attacks targeted police stations and posts as well as establishments of other forces in over a dozen districts, including Peshawar, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, South Waziristan, Karak, Kohat, Bajaur, Khyber and other districts.
The comparative low level of casualties confirms alertness and vigilance on the part of the law enforcing agencies but the growing number of attacks is a source of concern for people of Pakistan.
There are reports of curfew in some pockets of KP besides a province-wise high police alert in view of the nature of the security situation.
Law-enforcing agencies have also been put on high alert in Punjab and combing operations have been initiated in different areas to guard against terrorist incidents.
All this shows the situation is quite serious but regrettably our political leaders have not been able to strike a consensus on how best to respond to the grave threat, with the possibility of the situation getting out of control.
This is evident from the statements emanating from KP where the provincial government is pursuing its own strategy as far as terrorism from across the Western border is concerned.
Apart from meddling in foreign affairs, which is sole domain of the Federal Government, the Chief Minister has also come out with a demand to grant nationality to Afghan refugees at a time when the Centre has announced to deport the card holders by March 31.
Similarly, the statement made by JUI(F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday to launch an anti-Government campaign after Eid is also indicative of more focus on self-serving politics than the need to forge national unity to foil designs of internal and external enemies of the country.
We have been emphasizing in these columns, time and again, that there was no time to waste as far as the war against terror is concerned and all parties and provincial governments should strengthen the hands of the Federal Government in taking the fight to the logical conclusion in the minimum possible timeframe.
