Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's arrival in Pakistan was overshadowed Wednesday by a devastating car bomb attack aimed at civilians and marking a clear escalation in the Taliban campaign to undermine the government.
The bomb tore through a congested area of narrow alleys and crowded stalls in Peshawar, a city that has become a frontline of Taliban terrorist attacks in recent weeks. ...and this bombing was seen as another in a series of attacks by Pakistani militants to answer the military’s offensive against their stronghold in South Waziristan, along the Afghan border. The militants are carrying out the attacks to “unnerve” the government which explains why they are now targeting civilians.
Peshawar was unable to cope with such a large-scale attack because it did not have enough trained firefighters and could not move excavators into the narrow streets to rescue those buried alive. Government officials also acknowledged that Peshawar was not equipped to deal with a barrage of terrorist attacks.
Earlier this month, a blast in Peshawar killed at least 48 people in what was described at the time as the biggest attack of its kind in Pakistan in months. The explosion Wednesday was in the same general area. Filled with small stores selling fabric and general merchandise, the old market is always congested with shoppers and traders and presents an easy target for the militants.
Mrs. Clinton landed in Pakistan for a three-day visit, saying she was determined to broaden America’s relationship with Pakistan beyond the security and antiterrorism concerns that have dominated ties and sowed mutual suspicion.
Source:
NYT
By ISMAIL KHAN
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