Friday, Dec 26, 2003
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By B. Muralidhar Reddy
There was panic and anxiety in the establishment as the attackers struck almost at the same spot where there was an attempt on the General's life on December 14. The Government's immediate worry seems one of ensuring that the SAARC Summit scheduled from January 4 to 6 is not jeopardised. Like the December 14 attempt, no group has claimed responsibility for today's incident. The suspicion, however, is on the Al-Qaeda. A few weeks ago, a tape claimed to have been released by the outfit, had urged the "faithful" to target the General for his "collaboration" with the United States. The Pakistan Information Minister, Sheikh Rashid, said in a statement that the windshield of Gen. Musharraf's car was hit by the debris of the car involved in the attack. However, the President was unhurt. The attack occurred at 2.10 p.m. (IST) as Gen. Musharraf was travelling to his camp office in Rawalpindi. His official residence is just two km away from the scene of attack. According to the Minister two blasts went off in succession after attackers in two cars tried to ram the President's vehicle. It appears the attackers were waiting in two cars as the police had stopped the traffic to allow the General's convoy to pass. Repeat of December 14? The latest attack is almost a repeat of the December 14 bid on the President's life when his motorcade missed a powerful explosion on a bridge in a matter of seconds, also in Rawalpindi, the headquarters of the Pakistani military. A jammer device that did not allow the bomb to be triggered saved his life then. "I have talked to the President after the blasts. He is safe and his staff also remained unhurt," Mr. Rashid said, adding that in his personal view, it would be better for Gen. Musharraf to appear on television and scotch rumours about the incident. The Minister said the attackers came from two different petrol pumps as the convoy headed towards Gen. Musharraf's residence. The people who died were civilians who were either passing by or filling up their cars at the petrol pumps. "It was a security lapse, I would say. It was a Christmas Day and there was a worldwide alert. We should have made some extra arrangements. It's a serious incident. It is too early to pinpoint who were behind these attacks," he told reporters. The General has incurred the wrath of the militant groups within and without after he chose to align with the United States in the war on terrorism. `I am their target' The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, said tonight that he and not the leaders who are slated be in Pakistan in January to attend the SAARC summit, was the target of the terrorists who attacked his convoy this afternoon. It was wrong to conclude that every one in Pakistan was unsafe on the basis of the two attacks on him in the last two weeks, he told the state-controlled Pakistan Television (PTV). Also, there was no lapse of security, he said and argued that there was no way one could prevent suicide attacks. That some police personnel deputed on the route of his convoy were killed was proof of their dedication. He said the attackers were terrorists and extremists who were hell bent on giving a bad name to Islam and Pakistan. He was not deterred by such cowardly acts and would continue to fight for elimination of such forces.
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