A bomb that exploded next to a convoy of the deputy chairman of the Senate Maulana Ghafoor Haideri of JUI-F on Friday killed at least 25 and injured nearly 40 others. Islamic State is said to have claimed responsibility for the bombing as its Amaq news agency has been quoted as saying that a bomber wearing an explosive vest carried out the attack.

It is, however, still not known why the Islamic State has targeted this senior JUI-F leader. Maulana Haideri, who was among the injured, was quoted as saying minutes after the explosion that he believed he was the target. Was he targeted because his party is part of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's coalition government? It was in January last year that a series of attacks left more than 14 dead and 50 others injured in Quetta. Those attacks included a suicide bombing targeting JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman who survived the bid on his life. The situation underscores the need for some more concerted efforts aimed at crushing the menace of terrorism with full force. There is no room for complacency at all. As rightly stated by chairman Senate Raza Rabbani such attacks cannot weaken nation's resolve and determination against the challenge of terrorism.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017