Pak Govt. urged to "stop treating militant outfits with kid gloves"

Kohat (Pakistan), Apr 19(ANI): After a series of suicide attacks, which rocked Northwestern Pakistan's Kohat region over the weekend, the Pakistan Government has been urged to reconsider its policy and "stop treating militant outfits with kid gloves".

An editorial in a leading Pakistan daily also demanded the government to launch a heavy crackdown to ensure security against such suicide attacks.

"The government has to take strict measures against terror groups to save the country from going up in flames. The government's inconsistency in cracking down on militant outfits, especially the banned organizations, shows that there is a lack of requisite political will in curbing extremism," an editorial in the Daily Times said.

It further said that the way the terrorist organizations are operating in the country, it exposes the inefficiency of the security agencies and stressed that pre-emptive measures have to be taken.

"Now that such attacks have targeted not only the security forces and government officials, but citizens as well in the length and breadth of the country, this has certainly thrown up a bigger challenge to the security agencies," the editorial added.

Earlier on April 17, two suicide bombers dressed in burqas had attacked a refugee camp in Kohat, killing at least 41 and wounding more than 60 peoples.

The bombers struck minutes apart in the Kacha Pukha camp, a registration centre for people fleeing Taliban violence and Pakistani army operations close to the Afghan border.

Less than 24 hours after the attack, a powerful bomb exploded near the Bilitang police station in the same region.

At least seven people were killed and over 31 others were injured in the incident.

Nine security officials, including two personnel of the Frontier Constabulary and seven policemen, were among the 31 people injured in the attack. (ANI)