Once again, Pakistan is the origin of another military-styled assault on civilian or government installations in South Asia. Today’s terror assault on a police academy in Lahore, Pakistan, is the latest in a string of such attacks, which include the strike on the city of Mumbai, the storming of government offices in Kabul, and the ambush of the Sri Lankan Cricket team. All of these attacks have been traced back to Pakistan-based and backed terrorist groups. Rehman Malik, Pakistan’s minister of the interior, admitted today’s attack was likely carried out by Pakistani groups, but implied the terrorists are being armed by outside countries:
Pakistan has buried its head in the sand after each such attack and has attempted to blame other countries, mainly arch-rival India, for the terrorism emanating from Pakistani soil. Malik is correct; these groups are well known to the Pakistani nation. To this day, many are still being supported by Pakistan’s Inter-Service Intelligence agency and elements within the military. The problem has gotten so bad that over the past several days that President Obama, Secretary of Defense Gate, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mullen have all gone on the record stating this. And to answer Malik’s question: Lashkar-e-Taiba, the likely culprit in this attack, operates in both Pakistan and in Pakistan-held Kashmir. The group is still supported, armed, and funded by the Pakistanis, despite claims otherwise. Just the other day, Lashkar’s spokesman said the group is preparing for a fresh offensive in India after major clashes with Indian forces. And the Taliban and a host of allied terror groups freely operate in northwestern Pakistan and carry out attacks against the government and security forces. They have all the weapons needed to pull off such attack.
