LAHORE: The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the siege on Monday, on the Jinnah International Airport, Pakistan’s busiest airport in Karachi, which left 18 people dead. Although all 10 terrorists responsible for the brazen attack were also gunned down, the bold terrorist strike underscored the difficulties, the government of Pakistan is having, in dealing with the Taliban.
A cargo building was gutted by the fire and the explosions, said Rizwan Akhtar, chief of Pakistan’s elite paramilitary Rangers. During the overnight battle, airport operations were suspended and all incoming flights were diverted. The airport reopened Monday afternoon.
“Seven terrorists were killed by security forces, while three blew themselves up during the fight,” Akhtar said. Some of the attackers he said, were disguised as airport security personnel.
Journalist Naila Inayat writes in USA Today that the Pakistani Taliban said the attack was in retaliation for the November killing of the militant group’s leader in a U.S. drone strike, as it vowed to continue a campaign of terror.
Fear is part of the militants’ game plan, said Raza Rumi, senior fellow at the Jinnah Institute, based in Islamabad and Karachi.
The Pakistan Taliban “created the desired impact- panic, terror and diversion of state machinery toward a major security breach,” Rumi said. “It also shows their power to enter sensitive and heavily guarded areas.
He said the government will now be forced to strongly back the Pakistan army in cleaning up the North Waziristan area of the country as the presence of foreign militants endangers Pakistan’s major cities.
“I don’t think the government has a real strategy to curtail the Taliban, or even a plan to do so,” said Ayesha Siddiqa, an Islamabad-based defense and security analyst and author.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif started a tentative peace process with the Pakistani Taliban this year, but talks have broken down. The Pakistani Taliban, similar to the Afghan Taliban, favours strict Islamist rule.
“The peace talks were shaky from the beginning,” Siddiqa said. “Now, there is little justification to do more. But the government will continue to drag talks on out of fear that announcing a sudden end to them will activate many Taliban groups and reverse the dividend in terms of creating anxiety among those Taliban who were becoming friendly.”
Many residents in Karachi said the attacks highlight the poor security and the ineffectiveness of the government to contain militants.
“One thinks that the airport is a place where you can feel safe and secure, but unfortunately, it is as unsafe as the roads of Karachi. We are not safe anywhere in Karachi not even in our homes,” Usama Ahmed, 26, said. “We all are the victims of yesterday’s event, we all have lost close ones or have family friends who have lost relatives.”
Sania Iqra, 31, of Karachi, said: “The government and the military should be ashamed of itself. What excuse can you give for such a security lapse? And this isn’t the first time we have seen this in Karachi … so what exactly is safe now?
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