BASICALLY we are a reckless people. Had we been a bit more careful and disciplined, many of the people who died in terrorist attacks in recent years would be alive today. Benazir Bhutto would still be among us, for one.

She had returned to the country after a long exile on Oct 18, 2007. And she was targeted on the very first day — just a few hours on from landing in Karachi, to be precise. She was lucky that she escaped that attack unharmed, but 150-odd PPP workers were not.

Despite this lucky break, Ms Bhutto continued to push her luck by canvassing across the length and breadth of the country. She narrowly escaped a disaster in the NWFP when a young would-be assailant was arrested not far from the venue of a rally she was to address.

However, on Dec 27, 2007 her luck ran out, as the terrorists finally caught up with her just outside Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi. Benazir's death on that fateful Thursday night plunged the nation into a crisis from which it is yet to recover.

Now, fast forward two years —- to Dec 26 , 2009. It's two days to go to Ashura and a low-intensity bomb injures at least 13 participants of a procession in Karachi. All the mainstream newspapers carry the news item on their front pages.

Next day the history repeats itself — in that more than a dozen people taking part in a Muharram procession are injured by another low-intensity explosion in Karachi. The same day as many as seven people are killed in a suicide attack on a Muharram procession in Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir.

Newspapers carry reports about both the attacks on their front pages. Apart from that nothing much happens as the nation tries to pretend that everything is normal. The next day a suicide bomber manages to kill more than 40 participants of the main Ashura procession in Karachi.

Now, wouldn't we be better off had we cancelled all the Ashura processions in the country once it had become clear that terrorists were bent upon killing people taking part in religious activities. If the two Karachi blasts were thought to be insignificant, the Muzaffarabad attack was not. It should have forced the cancellation of all Muharram processions in the country.

Some of you may respond by saying that terrorists should not be allowed to shut us down, and that we should not bow to them and go about our activities regardless of the numerous threats to our way of living. Or even that Ashura processions are too important for us to cancel.

But I say any anti-terrorism policy is incomplete without steps aimed at denying the terrorists the opportunity to attack both individuals and groups. Seen from that standpoint, any counter-terrorism policy that makes it difficult for the terrorists to attack people is a good one.

That's why I feel that the government should disallow all religious activities involving open spaces both this year and the next, Miladun Nabi processions included.

A concerned citizen
Karachi

(II)

KARACHI has been hit by disasters before. But never before has devastation been as brutal as that caused by the events of Ashura. Newspaper reports and television footage of these events have sent us all into a state of shock and grief.

The suicide bombing was, unfortunately, part of a pattern but the targeting of wholesale markets in the inner city raises many questions. A mechanism should be devised as soon as possible to inquire into its actual causes.

This matter should not be left to be dealt with by an executive inquiry. On account of the magnitude of the loss to the country's economy, public property, private businesses, services, infrastructure, and the lovely old buildings which were our heritage, a judicial commission of inquiry should be set up immediately.

Perhaps the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan could take notice of the tragedy which has hit our city, ruining the national economy and thousands of livelihoods.

DR MASUMA HASAN
Karachi

(III)

THIS is apropos of the Taliban's suicide attack on the Ashura procession in Karachi.

It should be clear now that only one terrorist group and its followers carry out suicide bombings in Pakistan.

In order to save Pakistan and finish the menace of the Taliban we should get united and support the government to eliminate them once and for all.

DR FAREEHA KHANUM
Mardan

(IV)

THIS is apropos of your news report (Dec 30) that said that “over 10,000 jobs, Rs30bn lost to arson” in Karachi, and that the traders were busy updating figures in the hope of getting compensation.

Now we all know how that (honest) process is going to go, i.e., the traders' assessment!

As cold and cruel as it may seem to be, I hope the administration will take into account which shopkeepers were taxpayers, which had indeed paid any taxes and what was the worth of their declared shop assets, before considering compensation to them.

AYAZ SHAIKHZADEH
Switzerland

(V)

THE bomb blast on Dec 28 in Karachi in the middle of the Muharram procession was another inhumane act carried out by those who are anything but human.

There are bomb blasts every now and then in almost all the corners of the country, and the perpetrators are amongst us who are impossible to recognise. Besides Karachi, there were bomb blasts in Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, and other cities.

However, why is it that when there is bomb blast in Karachi, the people of Karachi resort to rioting and rampage, torching vehicles and shops and firing? This amounts to nothing but adding to the misery and loss of humans and capital. This never seems to happen in any other city. The people behave in a much sombre and responsible way.

This is an appeal to the people of Karachi to please have patience as this will only lead to the miscreants achieving the objectives in carrying out these atrocious activities.

Being a Karachiite myself, I feel ashamed of such an illiterate and irresponsible behaviour.

SALMAN YOUSAF
Sydney

(VI)

MUHARRAM is always considered sensitive due to the threat that any negative elements may try to create problems by inciting ill-feelings to fuel religious sentiments.

Keeping in view the present scenario the terrorists while utilising opportunities to carry out their activities may try to act in a way that disturbs the congenial environment.

They may spread rumours to create ill feelings leading to tension. They can depute their sympathisers to disturb religious gatherings and processions. Leaflets carrying messages of hatred may be distributed.

Hoax calls of some terrorist activity may also be used to create panic. It is also a possibility that in this sensitive environment the blame of any terrorist act can be placed on another group. The terrorists can also use the technique to approach the youth and influence their minds in order to spread their message.

In today's technological world the use of the Internet, SMS and letters may also be written to create a rift among groups.

It is the responsibility of all of us as true citizens to create awareness about the possible threats which can disturb peace.

Along with physical security, there is also a need to be vigil and to

keep an eye on the newcomers in 'majalis' and processions.

Special committees should be formed to look after rumours, leaflets, hoax calls and handle them. There is also a requirement that responsibilities should be allocated to look after the gatherings in a disciplined manner.

So many problems can be overcome if there is a good communication network between the committee members and security officials. The most important aspect is that there should be maximum exit points where religious gatherings are going to take place. The media should create awareness about how to deal with a terrorist's objectives and all negative elements. The media can play a significant role in creating a congenial and trustworthy environment among all groups. Together we can overcome the designs of terrorists.

ANWAR PARVEEN
Rawalpindi

(VII)

THE bomb blast outside a prayer hall in Muzzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir, killed several people as people observed Ashura to mourn the death of Imam Husain.

Bombers also targeted Pakistan's largest Muharram procession in Karachi, the financial capital, killing many innocent people.

We have to break the cycle of violence, renounce violence, and start practising active non-violence on a level that the world has never seen.

WARIS SHERE
Toronto