THIS is apropos your editorial ‘State’s failure in Quetta’ (Nov 10) in which you have blamed the state for the recent suicide bomb attack in Quetta where a DIG and a few others were martyred.

Balochistan, like any other federating unit, is a fully autonomous province in which the policies are formulated by the Balochistan government. It has quite a potent police force besides paramilitary forces at its disposal.

The army is at its beck and call. Therefore, it is the duty of the Balochistan government to provide security to its people.

I understand Balochistan is hard hit as far as terrorist attacks are concerned but so are the other provinces. Their agony and sufferings are also beyond description.

We are all sailing in the same unfortunate boat. The security establishment is doing its best to avoid such national tragedies. They pass on vital intelligence and information to the provincial intelligence agencies.

The army is doing its best to drive the terrorists out. Every day we hear officers and jawans sacrificing their lives in the line of duty.

The sacrifices of civilians are no less important.

In a nut shell, the provinces should organise their own security and the buck should not be passed on to the federation. God helps those who help themselves.

A. Siddiqui

Karachi

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2017