WITH the killing of two scouts unarmed volunteers from the Buturab and Pak Hyderi scout groups in Karachi`s Numaish area on Sunday, the first of Muharram, a warning bell has been sounded. The incident occurred close to where the city` central majlis is held. The scouts were on duty to guide mourners when they were targeted reportedly after participants of a rally organised by the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, the new name for the `banned` Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, were dispersing. For the authorities to allow a rally organised by a sectarian group in such close proximity to a Muharram flashpoint was clearly an illadvised move. But as tragic as the deaths are, it is a relief they did not spark wider protest. When passions run high, the slightest provocation can lead to violent reactions. The incident should prompt the security establishment and political administration to work overtime to ensure peace during Muharram.
Vigilance by the law-enforcement agencies as well as members of the Shia community is essential. Security forces and the community need to work together, as in the past, to thwart the designs of terrorists. Scouts and community volunteers play a major role in Muharram security arrangements by frisking mourners and, as Sunday`s incident has shown, put their own lives at risk. The contribution of these people deserves praise. And while community-police cooperation is important, it is the security establishment that must remain alert. Terrorists have used various methods in the past to wreak havoc and are known to change their strategy. Security forces countrywide must anticipate possible scenarios and prepare contingency plans to neutralise terrorist threats. For this, solid intelligence is essential. Also, by sowing panic, extremists are trying to put pressure on the government to curtail religious practices that go back centuries. This must not be allowed to happen.
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