Lahore blast: Pakistan needs to rethink terrorism policy as boy, 15, carries out suicide attack

Dubai: Pakistan needs to rethink its policy to tackle the menace of suicide attacks and militancy at the grassroots level.

This is all the more important after reports that a 15-year-old boy conducted the suicide attack on Wednesday killing 10 people, including five elite police force personnel outside the famous 11th century Sufi shrine of Data Darbar in Lahore. At least 25 others were also injured.

The teenage boy came out of a fruit shop, crossed the road, came close to a parked police van and then exploded his suicide vest before the elite force personal could even move. Shahbaz Gill, spokesperson of the Punjab Chief Minister, confirmed the account of events.

It was quite evident that police were the clear target and not the Shrine or the devotees visiting it. The incident also gives a harsh reminder that big cities like Lahore are still vulnerable to terrorist attacks despite massive operation against militants and banned outfits by the Pakistan security forces.

The incident also showed the complacency by the law enforcement agencies in Pakistan as they tend to go easy once the security situation comes under control for some time despite the fact that these terrorist ‘sleeping cells’ have surprised them on number of occasion in the past.

Over the last two years, Lahore has been free of suicide terror attacks that were once common. An attack in the city in March last year left nine people dead, while a major blast in a park in 2016 targeting Christians celebrating Easter killed more than 70 people.

The issue of terrorism cannot be solved only by cracking down on proscribed outfits heads and main members, a continuous combing operation is required at the grassroots level to uproot the problem of militancy. The government should also look at the vulnerably section of society including jobless youth and students who can easily be cultivated by the terrorist groups for their subversive activities.

The Lahore blast has also been claimed by Pakistani Taliban. It seems that they managed to brainwash the 15-year-old-boy to achieve their target. This should be the point of concern for the security forces.

After the blast, all regional police officers and city police officers have been directed to examine security arrangements in their respective areas and remain alert during the month of Ramadan. Police need to take pro-active measures instead of reacting to the situation to avoid such incidents.

Need to rehabilitate 'militants'

It is time that the Pakistan government focuses on religious extremists groups as many of them are breeding grounds for terrorist outfits. There should be a blanket ban on funding and raising charity for these organistations.

Prime Minister Imran Khan should also come up with both short and long terms plan to accommodate members of these outfit in the mainstream by creating employment opportunities for them to counter the militant groups.

Pakistan’s National Action Plan devised to counter terrorism needs to be implemented in letter and spirit to uproot root cause of militancy instead of only focusing on proscribed militant groups.

How the blast happened

The suicide bomb attack took place at 8.45am near a police van parked near Data Darbar's Gate 2, the entrance for female visitors to the shrine. The impact of the blast shattered the windows in nearby vehicles and buildings, bystanders.

An initial probe has revealed that the bomb contained seven kilograms of explosive material.

The shrine was immediately evacuated, with devotees moved out through exits away from the blast site.

Earlier attacks on the same Shrine

Data Darbar, one of the largest Sufi shrines in South Asia has been targeted previously as more than 40 people were killed in 2010 suicide attacks at the shrine. Since then, the area has been increasingly hemmed in by heavy security, with visitors forced to pass through several layers of screening before they can enter the complex.

Data Darbar is one of the country's most popular Sufi shrines where Sufi saint Syed Ali bin Osman Al Hajvery is buried.

Thousands of devotees visit shrine every day to pay tribute to the Sufi saint and also offer prayers at the adjacent mosque.