A suicide bomber attacked the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, one of the most revered Sufis of Sindh. The blast hits Lal Shahbaz Qalandar devotees, killing 80 people.
The police cordoned off the area early morning Friday to collect forensic evidence of the explosion.
IS Group Claims the Attack
The attack on Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine was claimed by the infamous IS group. The devotees were gathered for an evening dhamaal when the bomber struck. The usual and yet obvious excuse for the attack was a “security lapse”. Law enforcement agencies tightened security of shrines across Pakistan after the bombing of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.
Swift Action Against Militants
In response to the attack on Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, the law enforcement agencies carried out a country-wide operation, killing 44 militants. It involved action both from the federal as well as provincial law enforcement agencies before dawn which resulted in arrests of dozens of suspects.
Pakistan Army launched a massive operation in Lower Orakzai killing four alleged terrorists. LEAs killed three other suspected terrorists in Reggi, Peshawar. Authorities killed six militants in Khyber Agency. The provincial government of KPK claimed to have killed 17 militants in total.
Rangers in Sindh said that it killed 18 terrorists in an overnight operation. Similarly, Sindh Police also claimed to have killed seven more terrorists. Police killed two more terrorists in an encounter on Sariab Road, Quetta.
Fearless Devotees Continue with Dhamaal
The shrine’s caretaker, standing in the carnage, rang the bell of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. The ringing of the bell is a daily ritual performed at the shrine. He said that even if a bomb blast hits Lal Shahbaz Qalandar he will not be deterred. The devotees of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar say that they would continue with their dhamaal to show that they are not willing to surrender to terrorists.
COAS, PM and CM Visit the Injured
The COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa and PM Nawaz Sharif visited the injured in Sehwan. CM of Sindh, Murad Ali Shah also visited Sehwan.
Recent Hike in Terrorist Attacks and NAP
The opposition parties have severely criticized the government for not acting against the militants in South Punjab. One of the main criticisms against the government is its selective action against terrorists. The recent bloody attack by a suicide bomber in Lahore was a wake-up call for the government to take action. Several other terrorist attacks followed after the Lahore attack, resulting in innocent lives lost. Government and opposition parties must implement the National Action Plan against all the culprits without regard to their political or religious affiliations. Only this way Pakistan would be able to get rid of the menace of terrorism.
