Suicidal
Attacks In Pakistan:
Only One Of Its Kinds
By Akhtar Ali Syed
16 June, 2007
Countercurrents.org
A
well known and well informed journalist around Afghan issues made a
prediction of more suicidal attacks in Pakistan in upcoming days. (Already
ten attacks have been carried out in this year so far) He was being
interviewed on television after the suicidal mission carried out in
Marhaba Hotel, Peshawar. If he is proved right in his judgment, it may
not be surprising because of some simple and understandable reasons.
Though, prediction was made in the context of murder of Mullah Dad Ullah,
a Taliban Commander, but other than that, suicidal attacks are increased
in frequency in other parts of the world as well.
Robert Pape, a leading authority
on suicidal attacks believes that these attackers learn from each other’s
experiences and success stories. The partial success of insurgency in
Iraq could be a leading cause for the increase. At this juncture there
are at least three characteristics worth noting about these missions
in Pakistan.
First and obvious one is
the increase in numbers. Pakistani society remained the target of terrorist
activities since early eighties. Bomb explosions and shooting at various
public places, Mosques and Imambargahs started in General Zia’s
era. But they were not suicidal missions. The first ever, reported,
suicidal mission carried out on May 8th, 2002 outside of Sheraton Hotel
Karachi where the French nationals were targeted. Since then these attacks
kept on rising every year. Here are the figures of suicidal attack carried
out in each year. Except a decline in 2005 the rise in these attacks
is evident.
Suicidal Attacks
in Pakistan (2002-May 2007)
Year/ Number of Attacks/
Sectarian Attacks
2002/ 2/ 0
2003/ 2/ 1
2004/ 8/ 6
2005/ 3/ 3
2006/ 10/ 3
until May 2007/ 10/ 1
Total 35/ 14(40%)
At the moment these attacks are being carried out by some splinter groups.
They are not as identifiable as Hamas, LTTE or Al-Qaeda. The rise is
more foreseeable as some other groups (clerics from Lal Masjid) started
threatening the Government of carrying out suicidal attacks if there
demands are not met.
If we look at the flash points
of the suicidal attacks around the world, Pakistan comes out among those
countries where the frequency of such attacks is on rise.
Flash Points of Suicidal Attacks (2002-March 2007)
Country/ 2002/ 2003/ 2004/
2005/ 2006/ 2007
Israel/ 40/ 22/ 9/ 7/ 2 /1
Iraq 0/ 20/ 68/ 144/ 103/
61
Afghanistan 0/ 2/ 4/ 8/ 50/
14
Chechnya 2/ 12/ 2/ 1/ 0/
1
Pakistan 2/ 2/ 8/ 3/ 10/
7
Sri Lanka 0/ 0/ 1/ 2/ 8/
2
S. Arabia 3/ 1/ 1/ 0/ 0/
0
Among these flash points, Iraq is taking the lead with the highest figures
at the moment. Afghanistan is emerging second to Iraq with six times
more attacks in 2006. Pakistan is next country after Iraq and Afghanistan
where these attacks are on rise. Israel, which did have the highest
number at one point, (40 in 2002, and 27 in 2001) had only one attack
in the first quarter of 2007. This is because of it’s successfully
preventing the Palestinians to enter into Israeli territories. Despite
Pakistan’s being the American ally in “war on terror”,
attacks in Pakistan are increasing. Sri Lankan Prime Minister and President
of Pakistan were the only two heads of State who have been targeted
and narrowly escaped suicidal attacks. Dick Cheney was far out of range
of an attack in Afghanistan in February 2007.
Second thing which makes Pakistan really an exception is the occurrence
of suicidal attacks without having any ongoing occupation by foreign
forces or any separatist movement going on. Wherever in the world suicidal
attacks are being carried out consistently, either they are occupied
territories or people there, are fighting for independent state for
themselves. Iraq, Palestine, Kashmir, Chechnya and Sri Lanka are the
examples. Pakistan is the only place to have suicidal attacks without
any of these reasons. Saudi Arabia could be considered as similar, but
number of such attacks is very less. In Sri Lanka Tamil Tigers (LTTE)
are fighting with a clear goal of a separate Tamil State and the movement
is not confined to Sri Lanka, they attempted similar attacks in India
as well. (Rajeev Gandhi was killed in a suicidal attack in India) Their
targets are well defined, usually political leaders and army personnel
and very rarely they target masses. Attacks carried out in Pakistan
are, partly, because of Pakistan’s foreign policy and its alliance
with the US. It is an erudition drawn by analysts because no organization
active in Pakistan ever made its motives and objectives known and explicit
for public as in case of LTTE or HAMAS.
Third distinction of Pakistan
is the element of sectarianism involved in suicidal attacks. Nowhere
in the world are sectarian killings being carried out through suicidal
missions. Iraq could be presented as an example. Journalists and other
well informed people are reluctant to accept any sectarian crack in
Iraq. Suicidal missions in Iraq are believed to be manufactured. Even
if one accepts it’s happening in Iraq that would not be due the
sectarian reasons but because some groups would perceive others as collaborators
with the occupiers. There are no incidents of sectarian killing in Iraq’s
recent history before occupation. Whilst in Pakistan sectarian killings
are carried out purely for sectarian reasons because it was there even
before Pakistan’s becoming an US ally in “war on terror”.
Suicidal missions have further darkened the sectarian scene in the country.
Fourteen of thirty five attacks were carried out against other sects
(40%). In 2007 more attacks were planned to target the security forces.
Only one in 2007 has targeted Shias in the Muharram procession in Peshawar.
But if we exclude the figures of 2007 for a moment, the ratio of sectarian
attacks was as high as 52% until 2006 (13 out of 25 attacks)
Since the start of sectarian rift in Pakistan, scores of Shias, Barelvi
Sunnis and Deobandi Sunnis have lost their lives. But no Deobandi Sunni
has ever been the target of suicidal attack. Mostly Shias were the target
but on 11th April 2006 Barelvi Sunnis became the target in Nishter Park
Karachi. Though the leading clerics across the sectarian divide condemned
and gave verdict against such attacks but even then their frequency
did not cease to progress. At the moment Shias, Barelvi Sunnis and Deobandis
are part of the same political coalition party MMA (Mutihdda Majlis-e-Amal,
a coalition of religious parties) but it could not put these attacks
in a lull. It would be an indication of the cleric’s low level
of influence over the attackers who are running their political and
sectarian agendas simultaneously. The combination of sectarian and political
agendas in suicidal killing exist no where else other than in Pakistan.
Akhtar Ali Syed- Principal Clinical Psychologist, working
in Ireland can be contacted at [email protected]
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