PESHAWAR: “A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is only a statistic,” said former Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin when a senior officer briefed him about famine in Ukraine.

Stalin’s words are correct in the context of prevailing scenario in Pakistan. Our society is currently passing through the same situation. The reason is that multitude of deaths by militancy in the decade has left us so senseless that we have lost the count and more deaths in terrorist acts only add up to the figure.

Bodies are buried; the government immediately comes up with announcements of compensation for the victims’ heirs, and the people heave a sigh of relief until another mishap occurs.

Now, the people accustomed to deadly incidents of violence feel less shocked when five to 10 human beings are killed or wounded in a suicide bombings or other terrorist attacks.

The people ironically refer as ‘wasted’ to suicide bombings or blast of planted bombs when they fail to cause a big damage.

In a situation like this, the law-enforcement agencies take credit for foiling terrorist designs.

The government and politicians immediately start showering praises on the personnel of law-enforcement agencies for averting massive casualties.

On the other hand, people send messages through social media and salute law-enforcement personnel for showing bravery and foiling ‘cowardly acts’ of terrorists. Three suicide bombers stormed courts in Charsadda on Feb 21 and killed eight people and wounded 20 others.

Three attackers wearing suicide vests and holding guns had managed to reach the main gate of the district courts though there’re credible intelligence reports about the attack on the compound. The police and other agencies should have track down the attackers before they reached their target.

Shortly after the incident, the ISPR chief tweeted, “COAS lauds security forces’ response to Charsadda blast. First tier Police response has saved many lives. Shares grief on loss of lives.”

PTI chairman Imran Khan posted a message of the Twitter: “Condemnable targeting of judiciary/lawyers in Charsadda terror attack - leading to loss of precious lives. Commend police for prompt action.”

Eight people were killed and leaders gave appreciation to the police and other agencies for showing bravery and preventing huge devastation. In other words, the loss of eight lives is a normal incident and does not make a big difference.

Senior physiatrist Dr Iftikhar Hussain termed the trend very serious. “Such comments reflect helplessness and hopelessness of our society, which is dangerous,” he said. “Attack on the judicial complex or any other place is an attack on the state’s writ,” he said: “a single death was a tragedy.”

Rebels or terrorist outfits target public places like schools, bazaars, courts and other locations to terrorise the people and establish their identity and recognition. They need their presence in media by carrying out deadly attacks.

Obviously, bombers on suicide missions come with made-up minds that they could not go back alive. Their main objective is to create fear by targeting public places. Their purpose is not to permanently occupy courts or other places.

The state institutions make strategies on the basis of intelligence reports to prevent such incidents before terrorists reach their targets and carry out attacks. Suicide bombing and bomb blasts can be prevented through intelligence gatherings and proactive policing.

Unlike Sindh, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police have still focused on preventive side despite fighting against terrorists for more than one decade, increasing strength and budget and getting training.

Significantly the Army, Frontier Corps, Frontier Constabulary and Levies are also assisting the police to eradicate terrorism. The border with Afghanistan has almost been sealed by establishing a long network of posts. North Waziristan, the last sanctuary of terrorist outfits, has been cleared but terrorist activities have intensified not only in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but also in other parts of the country.

The KP police have yet to work out an aggressive strategy to reach the militants’ hideouts in Peshawar or any other place. The police have had few encounters with militants since militancy started in the province.

Preventive policing has emboldened militants, who always take on the police in the shape of target killings. As a result, the police force has badly suffered due to defensive policing that has resulted in loss of more than 1,587 officers and personnel so far.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2017