LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has strongly condemned militants’ attack on the police training centre in Quetta and demanded reassessment of the counter-terrorism strategy to put an end to the bloodletting.
“It is alarming that despite apparent focus on countering terrorism over the past few years, terrorists were able to launch another major attack in a provincial metropolis like Quetta and cause such a high loss of life. We condole with the families who lost loved ones in the attack on the police training school in Quetta,” the commission said in a statement issued here on Tuesday.
The HRCP is of the view that terrorism cannot be overcome by reliance only on security operations. “No state, however mighty, can fight terror without people’s support,” it said. Addressing the public alienation and winning their trust was vital in this fight, the HRCP said.
“Despite much talk of developing alternative narratives on restoring peace to society there has been little action on that account. That needs to change without any further delay,” it said. “It is perhaps too early to speculate on the perpetrators of the police school attack, however, Pakistan must pay serious heed to the deteriorating relations with our neighbours,” the commission said.
“There is no wisdom in keeping multiple fronts open. Particularly, amid the present day terrorism, which has a cross-border dimension, it makes all the more sense to join hands for security and fighting terrorism,” the statement said.
