Time and again relevant authorities in Pakistan claim to have taken ‘foolproof’ security measures to protect citizens from the menace of terrorism. However, the response of the government agencies to different incidents makes a mockery of these claims and casts serious doubts over their capabilities in confronting some of the gravest challenges faced by Pakistan in these testing times.
In yet another shocking incident, a lone gunman — with no criminal record— held the country’s capital Islamabad hostage for more than five hours. Armed with automatic weapons and supplies of energy drinks, the allegedly psychotic man, with his wife and two children, blocked the city’s main artery and refused to negotiate with the authorities.
As the police stood by and the drama attracted huge crowds on the streets of Islamabad, Pakistan once again became the laughingstock in the world.
While the government has accepted responsibility for a security lapse in the capital’s red zone, the incident highlights at least two points that deserve immediate attention. Firstly, Pakistan needs to frame a comprehensive national security strategy by clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of each security agency. Secondly, the country needs to enforce stricter arms control laws to limit the access to weapons and build a safer Pakistan for the future generation.
Unfortunately, Pakistan has been slow to react on these two fronts and inaction has contributed to the worsening of law and order situation in the country.
Regarding the recent Islamabad drama, the officials claim that the police officials were instructed not to take immediate action against the gunman because any action could have possibly risked the lives of his children.
On the other hand, media reports suggested that the government initially took the matter lightly and a state of confusion existed in different agencies over the responsibility for taking any action. A delayed response proves that the government authorities lack coordination amongst each other and do not have a clear security plan to face such situations. Without a concrete security strategy, Pakistan cannot overcome the threats posed by militant organizations and other smaller terror groups. The government needs to build a national consensus on framing a security policy for the country and, if required, even implement it forcefully to eradicate terrorism and acts of violence from society.
The hours-long standoff also exposed the claims of the government about putting in place stricter arms control measures. Firearms and violence, wrongfully associated with masculinity, are a bitter reality of the Pakistani society. Unfortunately, acts of violence have become a part of the society’s culture and are openly accepted by the public. Access to illicit weapons in Pakistan, home to the world’s largest illegal weapons market, is extremely easy. As seen in the past several cases, the police department remains ill equipped and therefore, helpless to mitigate larger security threats posed by militant groups carrying sophisticated weapons. After the incident, the government has announced the issuance of stun guns and infrared equipment to the security agencies.
However, modern technology alone cannot help the implementation of an effective security plan. Security personnel in Pakistan require training to handle counter-insurgency operations and other contemporary security issues.
The media, judiciary and all political parties must join hands to promulgate anti-arms laws and work toward curbing violence in the Pakistani society.
