It is deeply troubling that terrorists could simultaneously attack two civilian vehicle convoys as they crossed paths in the Kurram region of Pakistan. This attack was clearly orchestrated to ignite sectarian violence between Sunni and Shia communities in the area.
What stands out are the peculiar details surrounding the incident. The attack occurred just a day before a planned protest rally by PTI, the ruling party in KP, which the government and establishment had been urging to postpone. Even stranger is the decision to make civilian vehicles travel in convoys, and the most baffling fact is that the attack targeted the precise point where two convoys were crossing each other, maximising casualties. This does not appear coincidental; it suggests a deliberate effort to bring the two convoys together.
These and other anomalies strongly indicate that the incident was premeditated to provoke sectarian strife in KP. The political exploitation of the tragedy, with leaders issuing statements for accountability rather than focusing on genuine solutions, is also telling.
It is crucial that details of the attack, including the tactics and weapons used, be made public for scrutiny. The attackers must be captured alive and interrogated to uncover the masterminds. Additionally, an investigation is needed to determine who authorised the convoy system and how the timing of the convoys was coordinated to converge at the attack site.
SHAHRYAR KHAN BASEER P.ENGR.,
Islamabad.