Saeed tweeted claiming that the ‘˜new security team’ of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was responsible for the attack.
Pouring water over all the attempts of Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif to engage Pakistani Taliban militants in negotiations to end years of fighting, Tehreek-e-Taliban attacked Jinnah International Airport on Sunday late night.
According to the latest reports, at least 23 persons, including 10 terrorists have been killed and dozens injured in the attack on the airport’s old terminal in Pakistan’s financial capital Karachi.
The terrorists had entered the airport premises posing as Airport Security Force (ASF) personnel. They took cover in the hanger and engineering workshops near the runway.
The airport was secured after six hour long fight between the terrorists and the army. The army units from the nearby Malir cantonment base, ASF commandos, paramilitary rangers and police carried out the joint operation to clear the old airport area.
A few hours after the seize ended, Tehreek-e-Taliban took the responsibility for the attacks. However, the reason for attacks is not clear yet. Before the TeT’s announcement, while the Pakistani army was trying to identify the terrorists, an India Today report quoted the Pakistan Rangers saying that the sophisticated machine guns and rocket launchers which have been recovered from the terrorists are of Indian make.
Few minutes after that, Jamat ‘ud’ Da’wah chief Hafiz Saeed, who is believed to be the mastermind of 26/11 Mumbai attacks, tweeted claiming that the ‘new security team’ of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was responsible for the attack.
In the series of tweets he tried to portray India as an enemy of its neighbour Pakistan.
The spectacle at #KarachiAirport is Modi’s plan against Pakistan. Direct response of needless appeasement of new ‘Hindutva’ Government.
— Jamat ‘ud’ Da’wah (@JuD_Official) June 8, 2014
#KarachiAirport is an attack on Pakistan. Modi’s new security team is behind this act of war by India. Nation knows the real enemy.
— Hafiz Muhammad Saeed (@HafizSaeedJUD) June 9, 2014
We condemn horrendous act of terrorism at #KarachiAirport in severe words. Government must end exchange of gifts with India; show spine.
— Hafiz Muhammad Saeed (@HafizSaeedJUD) June 9, 2014
Terming Modi government as ‘the new Hindutva government’ and calling India enemy of Pakistan shows Saeed’s desperation towards the enhancing cordial relations. While there is a little doubt that the cordial relations between Modi and Sharif must be irking those who do not want to see both the countries flourish together, Saeed’s tweets clearly indicate that the anti-establishment elements in Pakistan are afraid because of it and will jump at every occasion to foul the attempts.
With TeT taking the responsibility, Saeed’s claims become more laughable. As PTI reported: The attack was reminiscent of the deadly attack carried out by some 15 militants of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan in May, 2011 on the Mehran naval airbase here in which the attackers killed some 18 personnel and damaged aircrafts before being killed in a counter attack.
The attack came days after a peace process between the Tehreek-e-Taliban broke down and a ceasefire announced by the TTP was called off. Since then than there has also been a major break in the TTP with the powerful Mehsud group announcing their separation from the militant outfit led by Maulana Fazlullah. The Mehsud group commanders had warned of resuming attacks against the government and security personnel and installations.
This is an indication that the two countries need to work more closely for saving the democracy in Pakistan. Else, nobody would be able to save it from the Talibani militants and it will become another Afghanistan.
