Islamabad, Sep 22 — The latest attack in Kohat district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province underscores the persistent threat of militancy in the country’s border areas, where such attacks have become a recurring feature rather than an isolated incident, a report has stated.
It noted that Islamabad has long accused the Afghan Taliban of providing safe haven and support to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an extremist group seeking to establish a fundamentalist Islamic state in Pakistan.
The death toll in the militant attack rose to at least 31, including 16 uniformed policemen, as clashes with police resulted in a fluid situation with Ittihad-ul-Mujahideen claiming responsibility for the attack. The group is said to have close links with the TTP, Peter Knoope, a noted diplomacy and international cooperation expert, wrote in India Narrative.
He noted that the fact that militants managed to barricade themselves inside a police compound made the attack particularly serious. The facility is meant to be at the forefront of protecting citizens from militant violence.
The incident has brought tragedy to the victims and their families, left many others injured, and heightened concerns among communities across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region. It also exposed the apparent shortcomings in Pakistan's intelligence gathering and counter-terrorism efforts, Knoope mentioned.
Highlighting that the incident will raise questions about effectiveness and accountability, he said it would also prompt scrutiny of the potential for infiltration and the trustworthiness of policing and intelligence operations in Pakistan.
“What was missed, and how could that happen? What exactly was the role of foreign agents? How is the strength of the information position of the local force? Is the relation between the local population and the police up to a desired level? Can a next attack effectively be prevented through intensified local or cross-border cooperation? Tough questions will be asked," wrote Knoope.