Islamabad fast turning into an insecure place to live in: Paper

Recent violent activities and increasing terrorist attacks in Islamabad are fast turning the city into an insecure place to live in, says a leading Pakistani daily.

Islamabad, July 18 : Recent violent activities and increasing terrorist attacks in Islamabad are fast turning the city into an insecure place to live in, says a leading Pakistani daily.

Doubt persists in the mind of the people here that whether the suicide attack at the District Courts is a fallout of the Lal Masjid operation or an isolated case to teach a lesson to Benazir Bhutto's party for lending support to the government.In both the Lal Masjid operation and the District Court suicide-bombing cases, the law and order seems to have been compromised to a larger extent, The News reported.

Tuesday's blast has shattered the confidence of the common people who questioned the role of law-enforcing agencies.

The paper said if such incidents could take place at a venue where suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry was to address lawyers, what would happen to other places in the otherwise most cordoned off capital city.

Senior officials admit that interception of suicide bombers is almost impossible, adding that such bombers enter the city without explosives or other material.

"We do have information that more than one suicide bombings could re-occur," Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah said. "These motivated suicide bombers often get such explosive material and necessary equipment from a person already in the city, particularly when such explosives are indigenous and home made and can be fabricated in every nook and corner," said Shah.

He said the District Court bomber exploded the device by raising his hand when he got frustrated to enter the area, which had a walk-through gate with policemen keeping watching on every person.

The death of more than a dozen innocent people and injuries to scores of others is an incident of very serious nature and people are talking about the failure of Islamabad Police and those responsible for handling the security, he added.

ANI