WHEN daring militants struck Iraq’s high-security and infamous Abu Ghraib prison in July, the global community was stunned. The audacious attack resulted in escape of 500 inmates, several of whom had been convicted of supporting Al-Qaeda and taking part in sectarian killings across Iraq. Soon after, more than 1,000 prisoners won their freedom in another attack on a prison facility in Libya. With global security experts still recovering from these incidents, the Taleban struck again in Pakistan. The militants left Pakistan’s security forces in a deep shock and awe as 150 fighters, armed with sophisticated weapons and night vision equipment, raided a century-old prison and helped their comrades escape.
This was not the first jailbreak incident in Pakistan by Taleban militants. In April 2012, the militants broke into Bannu jail and set more than 300 inmates free. Unfortunately, law enforcement agencies in Pakistan failed to learn a lesson from this incident and did not adopt appropriate measures to counter the threat to security installations that house high-profile prisoners. The recent jailbreak incident in Pakistan has cast serious doubts about the ability of security forces to counter the threat of insurgency. With media reports suggesting that intelligence had already warned about a similar attack, those responsible for the security lapse and lethargy in performing security duties should be taken to task.
The freed prisoners also include members of banned sectarian outfits, such as Lashker-e-Jhangvi (LeJ). The security forces in Pakistan would also be having sleepless nights about the possibility of an increase in sectarian violence. Sectarian violence poses a potent threat to the long-term stability of Pakistan. In recent months, the Taleban have particularly targeted Hazaras and Shitte Muslims in the country. The Taleban have formed a close nexus with militant groups like LeJ to conduct atrocities against religious minorities and other sectarian groups. Together, they have challenged state authority and mocked their response to the threats posed by them. With now some senior Al-Qaeda operatives also out in the open, the terrorism threat should not be taken lightly. It should also be noted that August marks the anniversary of terrorist acts in Nairobi and Mumbai, and Al-Qaeda could be planning to stage similar attacks against vulnerable Western targets in Pakistan.
The ugly prison break episode is likely to distract the newly elected government’s attention from some of the most pressing issues confronted by Pakistan’s economy. With the threat of terrorism looming large in major cities across Pakistan, the economy could face further damage as investors choose to remain on the sidelines. However, the Taleban attack highlights an urgent need to focus on improving the country’s security infrastructure and pre-empting such strikes.
The security apparatus needs to be strengthened to anticipate such violent attacks on security installations and devise an effective strategy to effectively respond to them. It is unfortunate that the security and law-enforcement agencies have involved themselves in a blame game rather than focusing on re-arresting the fugitives. The stakeholders must understand that war on terror cannot be won in isolation. Fruitful results can only be achieved through close coordination and information sharing between these agencies. Pakistan needs to devise a national security plan and a coherent counterterrorism strategy to effectively clamp down on the emerging national security threats.
• This article is exclusive to Arab News.
