Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that those responsible for the attack on a mosque are not only enemies of Islam but also enemies of Pakistan. He claimed that the attackers had entered Pakistan from Afghanistan.
Political analysts say such statements are being made at a time when Pakistan has long been facing serious challenges stemming from failed security and regional policies. According to analysts, Pakistani officials are attempting to shift the blame for terrorist incidents onto external actors in order to evade responsibility for domestic failures, intelligence shortcomings, and a long-standing double standard in dealing with extremist groups.
They further note that the continued presence of armed groups within Pakistan, the failure to uproot the roots of extremism, and mismanagement of security policies are key factors contributing to the recurrence of such attacks. Analysts argue that unless Pakistan revises its strategy and takes genuine and decisive action against terrorism, security challenges cannot be resolved through political rhetoric alone.
It is worth noting that the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
