Lahore Bomb Explosion Laments Partial Implementation of the National Action Plan

A Grieving Man at the site of Lahore Explosion (Dunya TV)

Yesterday’s cowardly attack in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, Lahore grieves partial implementation of the National Action Plan, which should have helped eradicate terrorist organisations and its splinter groups, if the Federal Government had implemented it indifferently. The NAP’s 20-point agenda required the government to register and regulate the seminaries (madrassas) which has completely remained beyond its reach and domain. Similarly, protection of minorities was pledged and eradication of terrorists’ hideouts in Punjab was vowed, nonetheless, they could not be promulgated.

Unfortunately, banned terrorist and religious extremist organisations are still using internet and social media websites to spread hatred and intolerance and commit allegiance to international terrorist organisations such as Daesh, however, the government deliberately overlooks these sensitive issues in that their supporters and protectors are sitting in the parliament.

Injured woman of Lahore Explosion (Guardian.com)

Terrorist organisations and their affiliates claim responsibility of such attacks but the crackdown on perpetrators seem a distant reality. Yesterday’s attack was specifically on Christian minority to turn joys of Easter into a bloodbath which killed over 70 innocent people including women and children. This attack cannot be viewed as sheer coincidence with yesterday’s protest in Islamabad, where thousands of religious fanatics entered Red Zone area on the occasion of Chehlum of Mumtaz Qadri – an executed police official assassinating then Punjab Governor, Salman Taseer.

While HUM condoles with the families of victims of Lahore’s tragic terrorist attack, it demands the Federal Government for taking concrete steps in eliminating terrorists and religious extremists from the country.