ISN’T it a coincidence that, on the one hand, newspapers and TV channels highlighted the APS tragedy on its second anniversary, and on the same day the inquiry commission report on the Quetta August carnage was indicting the same people whose inaction is no more news.

The Quetta inquiry report questions the federal interior minister’s justification on the holding of public rallies and meetings by banned outfits in the capital of Pakistan wherein thunder of ‘Shia Kafir’ slogans must have reached the Prime’s House.

Whoever uses his religion to spread hatred against other faiths or sects is a bad Talib, regardless of his utility in proxy wars in neighbouring countries, in counter-insurgency operation against separatists in Balochistan.

But when the federal interior minister feels no shame in comforting leaders of banned outfits in his office, then just wait for another APS and another inquiry report.

Masood Khan

Jubail, Saudi Arabia

Published in Dawn December 18th, 2016