3.3 Tuesday Tragedy -Why and How

Cricket is more than a sport for South Asians, a cult followed by millions and a unifying force. Lahore attack is one of the worst terrorist attacks on a sports team since Palestinian militants killed 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Indian and Australian cricket teams had already refused to play due to security concerns and Sri Lankan team was the only team to visit Pakistan in the last fourteen months.

According to the Pakistan police, 12 terrorists were involved in the attack on Sri Lankan team. These terrorists were armed with rockets, grenades and AK-47s. The attack was sophisticated in nature and well coordinated. Terrorists knew the security lapse and when the bus would arrive. It was a strategic attack as one group of gunmen fired a rocket-propelled grenade in order to create a diversion, while other group started firing on the convoy. Given the timing of operation it is not an amateur action. The terrorists were trained and knew their job. They guaranteed themselves tremendous international attention while demonstrating Pakistan’s struggle to provide its 170 million people with basic security as it battles a raging Islamist militancy.

It seems Pakistan cricket team was not the target or they were lucky to depart the hotel five minutes late. Imran Khan, former cricket skipper said, “it is of the worst security failures in Pakistan”. Indian home minister slammed Pakistani security as “hopelessly inadequate.” and the incident proved Islamabad is not doing enough to combat known militant networks. The current security situation makes Pakistan as no-go zone and chances to co-host 2011 cricket world cup has completely disappeared.

Different hypothesis can be developed at this point as no organization has taken the responsibility and it is too early to comment on who did the attacks and what could be the motive. Analyzing Taliban tactics, Tuesday attack doesn’t synchronize with their attack strategy. Their modus operandi is suicide bombing and nothing of that sort happened. The attack comes at a time of heightened political instability in the province of Punjab, of which Lahore is the capital. There are widespread protests against the government in different parts of Pakistan as the ruling by the Supreme Court disqualified Muslim League (N) from politics. The Lahore attack might put a temporary halt to the political agitation created by Sharif’s. The incident also sends a caution to Sharif brothers that no one is safe.

Comparing 3/3 and 26/11, there is a possibility that terrorists belong to the same pool of operators trained at the same time and sent for different missions. The objective was to create wave of uncertainty and fear in the two important urban hubs (Mumbai and Lahore). The terrorist group earlier tried to get India to react violently over Mumbai tragedy but it fizzled out. Pakistan becomes the next victim which is more emotional and famous for “not acting but reacting”. Any allegations like that might trigger fresh tensions between the countries, which are already dangerously high.

We can also hypothesize that Taliban are responsible for this attack given the tensions going in the Northern areas. The Pakistani army is enraging the Baithullah Mahsud (Tehrik e Taliban) group by allowing American drones to drop bombs on them. This might have been a payback time and Sri Lankan cricketers happened to be in the wrong place in the wrong time. A farfetched theory which is hard to believe is the involvement of Tamil Tigers.

The attack would not have been possible without local assistance, terrorists running in joggers carrying bagpacks, brandishing rifles in their hands (as seen in TV footage) seem to be acquainted with the area. The extremists seem to have infiltrated every organ of the Pakistani politics. The question remains unanswered, what was the motivation of this attack? If the mission was to attack police it could have been attacked anywhere else. If it was to attack the Sri Lankan team then it was successful but what was the reason of attack as Pakistan and Sri Lanka share good diplomatic relations. What if the terrorists wanted to have another simulation of Mumbai attacks? Liberty area is a crowded shopping area having 2-3 banks and a hotel. The attackers could take the Sri Lankan team hostage in one of the buildings and continued blind firing. The terrorists brought so much ammunition as if they had a bigger plan. In hostage situation Pakistani government would have been under international pressure and would have honored their requests at every cost.

Cricketers, musicians, artists, professors are international community and do not belong to one nation. They promote culture, unity and values. They sow the seeds of peace, doing a better job than our politicians, governments and diplomats. This shameful and coward incident has humiliated Pakistan. Such terrorist acts weakens the country at political, social and economic fronts, 911 is a living example. Countries need to cooperate at global scale to curb this evil and rise above their vested interests and rivalries.

The writer is a Fulbright Scholar, pursuing his doctorate in USA.