MONDAY morning brought the dismal news of the targeted killing of the principal of a government high school in Peshawar by dozens of heavily armed militants.

Tuesday morning one reads the news of the murder of a newly-elected MPA of Hangu who, initially an independent candidate, had joined the PTI.

The legislator was known to be a respectable gentleman of modest means who apparently had been elected quite remarkably because of his social work credentials.

These instances of targeted killings are just a few of the ongoing examples of brutality and lawlessness rampant in our country.

Everybody talks about enforcing the writ of the state, more so in the context of drone attacks and other violations of our territory.

But what about these militants posturing as custodians of Islam, who have been overriding all laws of the state and all norms of humanity and continue to hold the country hostage?

One fails to understand the benevolent overtures being made to such elements by our political leadership.

We have a huge and well-trained military, but it seems that the populist, obscurantist and even naive rhetoric has made it difficult for our forces to act decisively, forcefully, and in a focused and conclusive manner.

It is mind-boggling and makes one’s blood boil that we have allowed the monster of militancy to become so big, for it not only has ruined our beloved country but also given a bad name to our religion which advocates peace and tolerance towards all living creatures.

If in the past our governments, whether military or civilian, had, together with the US, made expedient choices for power and money, it is high time now that all stakeholders worked together decisively against the menace of militancy.

If bitter truths need to be told, the nation should be prepared to hear these rather than see the country go up in flames.

Wake up everybody. Unfortunately, since quite a while, this has become our war, and yet we continue to live in a delusional state.

A CONCERNED CITIZEN Lahore