Mar 11, 2008
Two Suicide Blasts Hit Lahore; Warning to Incoming Government?
Terrorists have struck Lahore again in two separate attacks, killing at least 23 individuals. The first attack hit the local office of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), a civilian law enforcement agency under the Ministry of Interior that does extensive counterterrorism work. The blast was perhaps a warning message to the incoming civilian government. The blast shattered the windows of the eight foot building and damaged a gas pipeline nearby.
The second occurred near an office building in the posh Model Town area. The victims include a woman and three children. A GEO News correspondent reports that behind the office building is the home of an army officer, a possible target. Another GEO News correspondent claims the blast occurred near the local home of People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Zardari and Lahore Mayor Amir Mahmood.
Today’s attacks are the latest sign that Lahore is increasingly on the terrorists’ radar. Lahore has witnessed far less violence than other cities, including Karachi and Peshawar, in recent years. However, the ratio is now reversing this year. A suicide bomber targeted police at a lawyers’ movement rally on Janaury 10. And last week, militants attacked the city’s Naval College. Militants would like to demonstrate the reach of their network and that they can hit the so-called Punjabi establishment at home.
An angry crowd of protesters amassed near the FIA building, protesting against Pervez Musharraf as well as the terrorists.
Lahore’s hospitals are requesting donations of blood.
UPDATE: 2:07PM (New York) – There are indications both attacks were focused on the FIA. There are rumors that the local FIA office was visited frequently by foreign intelligence agencies. A report on Aaj Television claims that the second attack could have been intended for an intelligence agency safe house nearby where suspected terrorists were being held. This would indicate inside cooperation. Also, both locations housed American-trained FIA units investigating the Naval College blast.
What is the warning they are conveying? Who is controlling them?
Do they want freedom to bomb Afghanistan and India with safe sanctuary in Pakistan as it used to be before 9/11? do they know that this option donot exist? This is connected to the nuke detterence of Pakistan itslef. Do the terrorists know this? Or they are provoking this very question under whose guidance?
Is this anything connected to the Beijing olympics and the plot chinese discovred?
This is very sad. Pakistan has now lost hundreds of innocent lives since the start of this year, the militants are clearly trying to deter a clampdown, but I think with their growing brutality they may be tipping the balance against their own objectives.
The real question is how do we stop this self-destruction of a nation that has serious consequences for the entire world and force a course reversal? If the great majority of Pakistanis including the apologists for the bombers truly condemn the actions of the few, would it be sufficient? These bombings have spawned a new culture with its roots in the Afghan resistance of the Soviet Union in 1980s backed by US, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. This culture has developed in two decades in Pakistan’s tribal belt and gained strength more recently. From six suicide bombings in 2006 in Pakistan, the tally went up to 62 in 2007, more than tenfold increase in just one year. There are many culprits, Pakistanis of all stripes are culpable to varying degrees. But so are many others. In my humble view, there are no quick fixes. We (Pakistanis backed by Americans, Saudis, the Europeans etc.) must start by addressing what Dr. Hoodbhoy describes as the “enabling environment of poverty, deprivation, lack of justice, and extreme differences of wealth” making the environment “perfect for demagogues”. At the same time, we must continue to act against those who orchestrate these crimes in the name of Islam. If we do one without the other,the chances of success are zero. If we do both, we can entertain the hope of ending it in a decade or two. It’s in the best interest of all to begin this effort quickly and earnestly.
Sir,
We in India are worried about this as a very clever calumny is being spread by the interim home minister that it is Isreal,India and USA who are doing this.
A destabilised nuclear armed pakistan is night marish for India while Isreal and USA will sell weapons to both and enjoy the fun.
Suicide Bombers brainwashed in Afghanistan
The detained terrorists in the custody of Pakistani authorities have accepted the reality that they had been brain washed, trained and equipped in Afghanistan to carry out suicide bombing in Pakistani territory.
One might think how a war ravaged country like Afghanistan has managed to carry out training for suicide bombers and provided them huge amount of explosives. There must be some hidden hand that is providing monitory support and ammunition supply, the answer to this question is not very surprising. Sadly, Indian consulates in Afghanistan have established these malicious training network and Indian Intelligence agencies are regularly providing huge funds for their efficiency and functioning. There target is to sabotage the peace and stability of Pakistan and growing problems for it. India remained next door enemy of Pakistan since its creation, now it has established fake friendly relations with Afghanistan under the disguise of conducting development projects on its soil. It has also maintained strong ingress into Afghanistan’s internal affairs and got hidden support of its high ups in establishing and maintaining covert suicide bombing training camps.
The trainers of suicide bombers carryout an outlook of religious clerics but in fact they have no link with Islam. They get huge sum of money from their hidden masters to train, indoctrinate, and brain wash innocent youth as suicide bombers. The suicide bombers are least aware of the fact that they have been used and exploited by the enemies of Islam. They just believe their suicide will guarantee their entry in Heaven. Poor souls!! Completely mislead.
There is a need to monitor Indian activities in Afghanistan!!! Why Indian has establishing so many consulates in Afghanistan!!!
Which are the nefarious elements in Afghanistan that are working against Pakistan and facilitating India to breed suicide bombers!!!
The detained terrorists in the custody of Pakistani authorities have accepted the reality that they had been brain washed, trained and equipped in Afghanistan to carry out suicide bombing in Pakistani territory.
One might think how a war ravaged country like Afghanistan has managed to carry out training for suicide bombers and provided them huge amount of explosives. There must be some hidden hand that is providing monitory support and ammunition supply, the answer to this question is not very surprising. Sadly, Indian consulates in Afghanistan have established these malicious training network and Indian Intelligence agencies are regularly providing huge funds for their efficiency and functioning. There target is to sabotage the peace and stability of Pakistan and growing problems for it. India remained next door enemy of Pakistan since its creation, now it has established fake friendly relations with Afghanistan under the disguise of conducting development projects on its soil. It has also maintained strong ingress into Afghanistan’s internal affairs and got hidden support of its high ups in establishing and maintaining covert suicide bombing training camps.
The trainers of suicide bombers carryout an outlook of religious clerics but in fact they have no link with Islam. They get huge sum of money from their hidden masters to train, indoctrinate, and brain wash innocent youth as suicide bombers. The suicide bombers are least aware of the fact that they have been used and exploited by the enemies of Islam. They just believe their suicide will guarantee their entry in Heaven. Poor souls!! Completely mislead.
There is a need to monitor Indian activities in Afghanistan!!! Why Indian has establishing so many consulates in Afghanistan!!!
Which are the nefarious elements in Afghanistan that are working against Pakistan and facilitating India to breed suicide bombers!!!
FIRST OF ALL i have a question for all of u.u can blame indians u can blam,e afghanistan but to bring such a huge amount of explosives undetected into lahore would be impossible.furthermore how did these terrorists know how to targert specific buildings. isnt this strange that our security agencies had no info on this(ofcourse the isi can lock up thiusands sof people incommunicado but canty know when a terrorist attck is being planned)somebody on the inside definitely helped them aand i see our own agencies involved in this .now u may not agree with me but if thjese terrorist are so powerful and this have called so called infiltrated the security paaratus then we have a very big problem but this is not so.this is being by a very desperate man i.e musharraf trying to hold on to power aand he will do anything to maintain his status quo.