Attack on shrine

This refers to your editorial "Attack on shrine" (Oct 9). I fully agree that intelligence gathering about militant organisations is vital if such attacks are to be stopped. Many shrines and mosques have been targeted by suicide-bombers in the past. Terrorists prefer to frighten the populace by choosing their targets in a manner that would result in a large number of deaths. But by educating ourselves we can try to minimise the number of injuries resulting in the event of an attack, thereby defeating the terrorists' goal. Generally electronic metal detectors and walk-through gates are used at the entrances of public places including shrines and mosques to detect hidden explosives and bombs. These metal detectors and walk-through gates can only detect items made of metal which of course include handguns and knives etc. Guns and ammunition, if sealed in plastic capsules or made of fabricated material, cannot be detected by such metal detectors. However, explosives of any kind or bombs concealed in any way can be easily detected by using high-quality explosive detectors, which can detect explosives as well as narcotics from a distance of 20-30 feet. Other than that, see-through cameras can also be used which can show explosives hidden under the clothes from a distance of about 40 feet.
But sometimes, it's not possible to use sophisticated equipment for detecting suicide bombers even when they are available. In a crowded area, suicide bombers can best be detected by the human eye, common sense and alertness. It may be recalled that it was the street vendors who detected smoke coming out of Faisal Shehzad's vehicle at Times Square in New York. Our people will have to remain vigilant at all times of any abnormal activity or person in their surroundings. The tell-tale signs of a suspected suicide-bomber can be abnormally extra clothing, something protruding from the body, nervousness, suspicious behaviour etc.
Sqn-Ldr (r) S Ausaf Husain
Karachi

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After the Data Darbar carnage in Lahore, the government should have tightened security at shrines across the country. Clearly this did not happen. The twin blasts at Abdullah Shah Ghazi's shrine took nine lives while many more have been injured. The extremist elements have proved themselves to be the enemies of humanity and Islam time and again by targeting Sufi shrines.
Kanwal Jahan
Karachi

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It is pertinent to mention here that the mazar and the roads leading to it were sealed in June for a few days due to security threats. It was opened following protests from religious and political parties. Did the blasts happen due to security lapse? Considering it was a Thursday, the security measures were indeed inadequate. Recently, walk-through gates were installed at the mazar but, as had been reported, there were no security cameras in the premises. Simply sealing all the shrines will not help. We need to develop proper security and intelligence networks.
Azam Sultan Ahmed
Karachi
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The suicide bombing at the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi in Karachi is an assault on the principles of Sufism. As a nation we need to embark upon a reform agenda which envisions promoting pluralist traditions, secularism and the core foundations of humanism in Islam. Our society over the years has been infected with radical elements; we need to revert back to our original roots of Sufi traditions.
Ahmed Ali
Islamabad

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The attack on the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi in Karachi is yet another effort by the terrorists to create rifts between different religious sects of the society. Karachi is the economic hub of Pakistan and terrorists know very well that destroying the peace of this city will further deteriorate the fragile condition of our economy. We must work together to fight this evil.
Mansoor Khalid
Islamabad

Cannon on the loose
Political parties headed by defaulters, criminals and traitors are not a novel phenomenon for us, but what is unique about the emergence of a new political "leader" on the political arena is the sheer audacity of this pernicious person to pass as a patriot. That the Kashmir issue had ever neared to an acceptable resolution under his dictatorship is but a dream and the most unbelievable fabrication that a mind could concoct. The chaos and confusion in Kashmir owes its origin to his treacherous manipulations that strengthened the Indian occupation over the valley and his recent controversial statement too adds to the misery of the Kashmiris and to the contempt that Pakistanis feel towards this man. A few questions ought to be asked such as where he gets all the money from for such elaborate affairs as the launching ceremony of his party? Whose interest is he serving as he sits in a foreign land with no roots in Pakistan and criticises the Pakistani leaders? Who is he trying to fool as he makes false claims against the Pakistani state? Or should I say who is he trying to please as he adopts the rhetoric against his own country?
Muhammad Abdullah
Islamabad

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This is with reference to the editorial "Cannon on the loose" (October 7) about the self-exiled ex-president. I don't think the former president is out of his mind; in fact he is playing his cards rather smartly. He is trying to become acceptable to his foreign lords by speaking out against Pakistan.
Farhad Khan
Peshawar