Pak Army saving Afghan Taliban while country bleeds with mosque attacks: Editorial

Islamabad, Oct 7 (ANI): While mosques in Pakistan are being targeted by terrorists, causing a huge number of casualities, the Army is following its policy of "saving the Afghan Taliban for a rainy day," an editorial in a Pakistani newspaper has said.

"With the army's policy of saving the Afghan Taliban for a rainy day, it is said that the militants are being given safe passage to leave NW and relocate before a full-scale operation is launched," the Daily Times editorial said.

"If this is true, the military should not be surprised if terror attacks continue," it added.

The editorial noted how terror seems to be "lurking in every nook and corner for the people of Pakistan. Friday, one of Islam's holy days, has been stained red with blood too many times and the massacre in Darra Adam Khel is no exception." 67 people, including 11 children, were killed and over 100 injured in the suicide attack in Waali Mosque.

"With a slight lull in the terror storm, Pakistan was beginning to harbour illusions that the militants had been restrained. However, this seems more like a deliberate pause on the terrorist's part as the attack at Darra Adam Khel has seen them come out once again in full force," it opined.

It further said that Pakistan should not assume that militants are confined to carrying out their activities in FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions only, as terror cells have been shown to exist throughout the country.

It underscored the need to pre-empt such attacks before they happen, and noted that it could happen only if Pakistani intelligence agencies stepped up.

The editorial stressed the necessity of increasing alerts in sensitive areas, especially when religious gatherings take place. It said, "More vigilance is needed and more resources need to be given to those who are entrusted with law enforcement in areas sensitive to terror attacks. Local police and security apparatus need to be on even higher alert, especially when gatherings in places of worship convene." (ANI)