Who is behind Lahore’s suicide attacks? .. “Black Water” is accused

By: Islam Al Ghamry

A new bloody explosion in Pakistan’s Lahore kills dozens and injures hundreds of innocent people.

Lahore has been a theater of military operations since the Pakistani army launched comprehensive offensives against Pakistani Taliban several months ago.

As Taliban used to deny targeting civilians after every terrorist attack, it disclaimed any relation to this criminal action. Moreover, it condemned the operation.

This makes the identity of the doers a puzzle for the Pakistani people and for others.

The operation’s scenario:

A pair of suicide bombings that killed 105 at least and wounded scores more at a popular Sufi shrine.

One attacker blew himself up in the basement, where people perform ablutions before entering the complex. The second detonated his explosives vest minutes later in an outdoor yard as people fled the first attack.

The twin blasts targeted the Data Darbar shrine dedicated to Sufi saint Syed Abul Hassan bin Usman bin Ali al-Hajweri, known as Data Gunj Bakhsh, where Thousands of people gather every Thursday.

Pakistani Taliban disclaims responsibility and condemns the brutal attack:

Taliban denied being responsible for these attacks. It claimed this is a conspiracy by foreign secret agencies stressing they do not attack public places.

The group condemned the “brutal act” adding they only attack police, army and other security personnel.

The puzzle:

Not claming responsibility by any group including Taliban makes the situation more mysterious. People doubt there is “unknown” party behind the suicide blasts executed in public places. Many accuse groups working with the CIA.

Thousands of protesters in Lahore and other cities demonstrated against the attack calling for strict measure to find the perpetrators.

They also called for the resignation of some officials for not taking concrete actions to curb terrorist attacks. Some of the demonstrators were veiled brandishing toy guns.

Here, a question comes to the surface:

If it is not Taliban, then who?

Observers think that foreign agencies, including Black Water, may be involved to create sectarian strife in Pakistan as was done in Iraq before. This may create good ground for an American withdrawal after huge human and equipments losses.

The US has sought the help of private security companies, including Black Water, to make turmoil in the Pakistani street and invoke the public against Taliban after failing in the war in Afghanistan.

May be changing the military leadership in Afghanistan what pushes the US to commit such an action to distract people away from its defeat there.

The American forces are the only beneficent from such a great number of victims. It is for the US favor to transfer the battle to Pakistan in order to make the Pakistani forces busy. It is worth mentioning that the USA accuses the ISI for secretly supporting Taliban.

It also may be a message to the coalition established in Lahore against what they call “terrorism”.

Can this operation be really a message to this coalition?

We cannot forget Pakistan’s traditional foe, i.e. India. It is always there. It may b involved in such attacks against Pakistani Muslims and worship places.

Some say that the US kills Muslims in Afghanistan and other countries. America doesn’t care about the lives of people whether murdered in mosques or in any other place.

It is known that Taliban is not afraid of claming responsibility about any attack. As long as it denied to be involved that means it didn’t do it.

This supports that there is a foreign hand behind this operation.

Some Pakistani officials accuse remnants of the Taliban or supporting groups and parties.

However, most of those close to Taliban refused the operation because Sheikh Ali bin Usman is a respected personality for both Sunnis and Shiites.

So, who will gain fro such actions?

Some see the Pakistani government will because it wants to prove that Taliban has roots in the Punjab.

Therefore, the Pakistani interior minister announced that the blasts were executed by pro-Taliban groups work in Punjab.

The Punjab government powerfully rejected such an accusation. I think it wants to avoid offensives against the province.

On the other side, the provincial and federal government of Lahore exchange accusations.

The central government is said to try to create a situation that justifies attacking Islamic groups and organizations in Punjab.

Abdul Ghaffar Aziz, spokesman of Al Jamaa Al Islamiya in Pakistan, was asked whether to accuse US security companies or Taliban for the accident. He replied:

“such a crime cannot be committed by a Muslim organization. Pakistan lives a state of chaos its security is collapsing. The government has no effective role toward this chaos… the enemies of Pakistan can easily exploit such a situation, especially that Taliban was accused for the attacks from the very first moment before making any investigation.”

“Taliban opponents are many. I can mention the announcement of the US department of state… it says that the majority of Pakistani people are with Taliban and against our war in Afghanistan… the situation has changed after attacks carried out on the Pakistani lands and Pakistani people were the victims… so, America may be doubted… it may be India for it can make use of any security breach in Pakistan.”, he added.

Finally:

Innocent people in Pakistan and in other countries remain jeopardized by such suspicious companies, especially Black Water which committed dozens of massacres in Iraq and around the world.

Isn’t it time for the world to adopt a law other than the law of the jungle where might makes right?

Translated by: M. A. Fattah

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