Roadside Bombing In Pakistan Injures 13 While Lawyers Demand Government Action
Local media has reported a roadside bombing in Pakistan Thursday morning, which wounded thirteen people in the city of Quetta, which is the same city whose hospital was targeted Monday morning.
“It was a judge’s car that was passing, but I believe it was the police who were the target.”
Those injured ended up going to the same hospital that was attacked Monday morning, for which the Islamic State’s Amaq News Agency reported that the terrorist group had claimed responsibility, along with the Taliban faction Jamaat-ur-Ahrar. Thus far, the number of people killed was determined to be 72.
Reuters also reported that Pakistani lawyers were on a nationwide strike after the bombing in Pakistan on Tuesday, as they were the ones targeted in the attack.
The Inquisitr reported on the bombing in Pakistan, which includes tweets by people condemning the attack and the identification of one of the victims, but details the assassination of the head of the bar association for the attorneys, followed by the blast from the suicide bombing at the hospital where they had all gathered.
The report mentioned by Reuters over Thursday morning’s bombing says that GEOTV has asked that no people gather around where the roadside blast took place, for fear that they would be targeted in a second bombing, similar to the one earlier in the week.
“Lawyers are relatively more vocal against militancy and they are fighting cases against people accused of terrorism, so it would make sense that they are being targeted. An attack on lawyers makes a mockery of the law enforcement agencies, it undermines the promises of the state against terrorists and breeds fear among vulnerable citizens.”
Even though the latest bombing in Pakistan is said to have targeted law enforcement, that a judge could have been killed in the blast would suggest to many that attorneys are still on the list.
Judge’s car hit by bomb blast in Pakistan injuring 13 people https://t.co/Cyrp92THN7 pic.twitter.com/K1Lw2aMHMD
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) August 11, 2016
While this is certainly the case, it would appear from the strike initiated on Tuesday that lawyers do not have enough of the support they need from their government against these kinds of threats.
GEOTV also reported on a press conference with the President of the Supreme Court Bar Ali Zafar that the government should provide appropriate security for the people or not hold elections until they do.
“Our brothers in Balochistan had been receiving threats for some time and had said they needed security, but the government did nothing. We have raised our voice again and again that we need security, and we will see to it that our demand is met.”
The Hindustan Times offers some insight into what the writer says is the Pakistan government playing “footsie” with terror groups, where it presents one image of fighting terrorism while doing nothing to defeat it while at the same time still feeding into it.
The bombing in Pakistan reminds many of this relationship, and with the western news media also becoming obsessed with coverage on terror attacks, the debate over Pakistan’s commitment recalls what many saw as their protection of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin-Laden, when he was tracked to a safe house within a short distance from the Pakistan’s Military Academy.
As Pakistan borders Afghanistan, it is said that the border provides somewhat of a buffer zone of an area which is sympathetic to the Taliban, a group continues to make attempts to overthrow either government to establish their brand of Islamic governance, which the Islamic State has also been exploiting, even going as far as to kill Taliban members to seize control.
Imran Khan says Pakistan was 'humiliated' over Osama bin Laden & his killing was 'cold-blooded murder' https://t.co/6tEZM2S1yx#NakaamKhan
— Kamran Sarfraz (@kamransarfraz) August 10, 2016
India has also been flexing their muscle recently, as NDTV reported earlier in the week that they have summoned their Pakistan envoy, Abdul Basit, along with criticizing Pakistan for their support of cross-border terrorism, after they captured a LeT terrorist who apparently admitted to receiving support, according to the Times of India.
The article by NDTV refers to two separate incidents from this year which took place in the Kashmir region, which borders Pakistan and India. One of them was the capture Bahadur Ali on July 25, after he had infiltrated India with weapons and Pakistani-based gear. But the article also refers to Burhan Wani, who was killed on July 8 in an encounter with security forces, according to the Hindu.
NDTV goes even further to recall comments made by Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, praising the commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen who was killed with two others, as a martyr. As well as saying that “Kashmir will one day become Pakistan” which is central to the conflict with India.
“The chill in bilateral relations was on full display during Home Minister Rajnath Sing’s visit to Islamadad for SAARC ministerial meet last week, when he and his Pakistan counterpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan not only avoided a proper handshake, but Mr. Sing also left without attending the lunch hosted by Mr. Khan.”
The latest bombing in Pakistan is only one of the many reasons for the growing tensions between both countries as Pakistan has blamed India Monday’s incident.
[Photo by Arshad Butt/AP Photo]
