WITH Ashura just days away, on Monday army troops started taking positions around Karachi to provide beefed-up security at a time when the threat level in the city is high. Officials have stressed that a security plan has been chalked out by the police and Rangers, and that army troops have been called in at the request of the provincial government — though only as a back-up force. Nevertheless, the very knowledge of their presence will be of comfort to residents in a city that fears violence in the coming days. As it is, the start of the period of mourning was stained with blood: early last week, five people of the Shia community were killed in sectarian attacks; soon afterwards, six activists of the ASWJ were killed in what appeared to be reprisal attacks. That extra effort is being made to ward off violence in Karachi is laudable, and no aspect of security should be left unaddressed.

It is crucial, however, that the provincial and central governments recognise that the risk of sectarian violence is far from restricted to Karachi. Three worshippers in two different imambargahs were killed in Gujranwala last Saturday. There are many other known flashpoints that are at risk of witnessing sect-related violence over the next few days, including Khairpur, Quetta, Jhang, Bhakkar, Hangu and Parachinar; there are risk zones in all the provinces that need enhanced protection. While security has been increased in many places, too often it turns out that sectarian and other militants are a step ahead of government authorities. The intelligence-gathering network must therefore cast its net as wide as possible, and remain alert. Further, while the political face of sectarianism is well-recognised, what is missing is a concerted crackdown on militants. Thanks to the restraint shown by various communities even when their members have been targeted, communal flare-ups have been rare. Yet the possibility of sectarian violence cannot be discounted in the face of extremist groups determined to sow the seeds of discord.