The bomb explosion at the Serena Hotel in Quetta on Wednesday night was both tragic and shocking. With 5 dead and 12 injured, it brings another day of mourning for us collectively, at a time when incidents of this sort come few and far in between. But mourning those the victims—as always—comes with the questions of timing and how this happened.

This attack is all the more troubling, because for a long time, we have felt ourselves insulated in major cities, more specifically in reference to high-value targets with a heavy contingent of security. Five-star hotels in Pakistan have layers of protocol and security to prevent such threats and yet officials state that over 60-70 kilograms of explosive material somehow made it through. This requires introspection on part of both private security providers and hotel administrators; such lapses only erode trust in both the state and their own capacity to offer protection.

Undoubtedly, our security apparatus must be working around the clock to track all those involved and eliminate any blind spots if necessary. However, on this occasion, there are reports that no threat warning had been issued, which is perturbing. This slipped under our radar—which is ultimately inevitable when the threat is constant—but still requires some course correction as a result.

The strides made in the past decade must not be allowed to be reversed. Given the threats we face in both the east and west in the shape of India and the TTP, we will have to double our efforts in countering terrorism on home soil. New Delhi’s stated aim of making Balochistan a hotbed of violence must be countered. Now that there is some bilateral contact, India must be told to cease and desist in the interest of regional peace. Pakistan must raise the issue of New Delhi offering support to TTP and other enemies of the state.