THE bomb attack on the bus carrying Shia pilgrims is not a new incident. This was not out of the blue either. Innocent pilgrims belonging to the Shia community have been targeted by ruthless, cowardly and shameless individuals in the past also.

This calls for proper security arrangements for the pilgrims, at least like the way arrangements are made for the bus service between India and Pakistan in Lahore.

The question is: how can funds be arranged for the security personnel and their state-of-the-art ammunition to protect the indispensable rulers? But then, how would the helipad in Gujjar Khan be constructed? How would the politicians and the bureaucrats be guarded against all their adversaries?

It would only be fair if the people of Pakistan raise their voice against this criminal negligence of the institutions that are responsible for such a tragedy. We, the citizens of Pakistan, can’t just belabour about the withering away of our state, witness the slaughter of our people and smile at the infringement of our basic rights sitting before TV sets.

Irrespective of whatever party is at the helm of affairs, whichever style of government is adopted and whosoever dominates the decision-making, we cannot be mere spectators to this show.

I would urge the civil society and the state institutions, including the media and the judiciary, to make sure such incidents are averted in future.

GHULAM ZAIN-UL-ABIDIN KHAN Lahore

Apathy

RECENTLY, a bus carrying pilgrims was targeted. The victims belonged to a specific group.

After the Quetta and Hazara community’s vicitmisation, this was another blow to the face of tranquillity in Pakistan.

But the question is why this silence? Why do we fill our minds and shattered souls with politics? We open our eyes everyday and put ourselves in the misery of politics, thinking, analysing, re-evaluating political turmoil, blame games and conspiracy theories. But when it comes to humanity, we decide to sleep over it.

A single statement of condemnation from the power corridors fills the gap. A one- minute news ticker hits the spot whereas the bodies of victims who gave their innocent lives for the sake of nothing keeps asking the same question again and again: why us?

Civil society, political and religious groups and law enforcement agencies – all walk around those dead bodies looking like crippled souls unable to justify their own existence.

Isn’t it tyranny not to raise our voice – a voice that makes us realise we are human beings.

SYED ZUHAIB HUSSNAIN Rawalpindi

Hazara massacre

IT is most deplorable that members of one of the most peaceful communities of Pakistan are killed with impunity by the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. Do our intelligence agencies not know the whereabouts of this group?

Are they ignorant, indifferent, and incompetent? Whatever the case may be, it is unacceptable. I suggest that the civil society of Pakistan file a petition in the Supreme Court to take notice of this matter.

KAUSAR SK Karachi