One reason the ANP has borne the brunt of terrorism, of course, is that the province where it rules as well as the adjoining tribal areas are infested with violent extremist challenging the writ of the state; and the other is that the party has been taking a clear and strong stand on the issue of militancy. It has consistently maintained that there are no good and bad Taliban. And that all those fighting the state need to be eliminated. Other parties condemn the TTP's acts of terrorism but have no coherent solution to offer, while the Opposition in the parliament points a finger at the government for not implementing two consensual parliamentary resolutions on the issue.
Unfortunately, however, leaders of religious parties refrain from unqualified condemnation of militants. That though does not give them immunity. The JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Jamaat-i-Islami's Qazi Hussain Ahmad have only their stars to thank for having escaped unhurt from TTP bombings. The fact of the matter is that no one is safe. The latest killings at the hands of violent extremists came at a time the nation was preparing to celebrate the birthday of the founder of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who led the subcontinent's Muslims' struggle for a separate homeland where they would prosper and progress without fear of losing their economic and political rights to a Hindu majority. All religious parties at the time had opposed the creation of Pakistan on the basis of an ideological argument that Islam being a universal religion, could not be constrained within the boundaries of a nation-state. Yet after Pakistan came into being they arrogated to themselves the right to decide the direction the new country would take. The founders would be horrified if they knew what Pakistan would look like a few decades down the line, with Muslims killing Muslims in the name of a religious cause.
Bilour's murder underscores the threat religious extremists pose to this state and society. It is a clarion call for all stakeholders to act. The government whose primary responsibility is to protect life and property of citizens does not seem to have a well thought-out and focused policy. Indeed, there is lack of consensus as some of the political players tend to link the problem to the ongoing war in Afghanistan, ignoring the Pakistani Taliban's stated agenda of establishing their own version of caliphate in this country. Yet, the government can count on widespread support if it decides to take necessary action against extremists killing innocent civilians, politicians and members of security forces, alike. There is an opportunity in the present tragedy to crush - with a new resolve and determination - militants undermining the peace and security of this country.