It is neither pleasant nor even easy to define and describe the caption but in the given situation I simply can not avoid it either. Who does not know what hell had fallen on us when Marrriot, one of the 5 star hotels in the capital Islamabad was attacked just two days back on Saturday 20^th September, 2008 which has killed approximately 60 persons and injured more than 250 persons?

Over three days have already passed since the attack and during this gap period far too many people from different walks of life including news reporters, editors, official authorities, law enforcement agencies and political leaders have already commented on the event from variety of angles which I need not repeat, rather on the contra, I want to view it very much differently. Different newspapers have quoted our Interior Advisor Rehman Malik publicly admitting that he himself had been tipped through his some very reliable official informers and sources that a big attack in Islamabad is very much in the offing and whether one likes it or not the worst incident did happen.

Full marks for our worthy Interior Advisor Rehman Malik who very intelligently triumphed and saved the lives of our entire national cream namely President, Prime Minister, COAS, Ministers, Senators, MNAs and other elites of the country otherwise this had been the worst hit incident in the world and not only Pakistan. Rehman claims that he, after getting the explosive information, personally issued immediate instructions to beef up security in the capital and resultantly checking at the two check points established in the red zone in Nov 2007 when emergency was proclaimed had been at maximum which in turn warded off the suicide bomber otherwise the parliament building was to be hit and not Marriot Hotel. So far so good and I don't think there is even slightest possibility to doubt Rehman rather not only me, you and other readers but the nation as a whole must bow down before him in recognition to his professional expertise to save so precious lives otherwise we had been doomed till the dooms day.

Once more thumbs up for the Interior Advisor who very openly and publicly without any reluctance or hesitation admitted that the mean suicide bomber took the advantage of the time when Muslims were busy in eating dinner after breaking the fast. Without prejudice to the praise worthy Advisor, it can be said with full authority and conviction that it is an universal truth that Muslims break fast at the time of setting the sun and therefore despite the read alert, the bomber who is not a human but abominable bird struck the hotel during the leniency time and succeeded in inflicting such havoc. I, however, do not and can not side with our top gun because it is nothing but a lame excuse to shirk the responsibility and justify the mishap and I am sure you too must be with me and not against me for the simple reason that our security should have been extra vigilant at that moment rather than being relaxed. Night is dark which is equally known to both the criminal and police and hence if a criminal commits a crime in night are we going to pardon the police unless we admit that police is effective only broad day light and not in dark.

The bomber, so far as academic discussion is concerned, has proved to be an inborn genius who completely out witted our security arrangements. He struck not in any remote area but the most popular and highly sensitive spot and that too right in the capital. For years it is known that Marriot, Islamabad is nothing but magnet not only for our VIPs but even for the foreigners including Ambassadors and other rank diplomats so how and why we did not erect barriers at still the more distance than the present ones. One should not forget that the explosive laden truck did not reach inside the hotel but exploded at the entrance and had it struck the very hotel building I need not explain what had been the scene then. Shouldn't we commend the calculation of the bomber who knew the distance between the entrance gate and the main hotel building so accordingly he used such a huge quantity that it must create havoc and not otherwise though greater the explosive, greater the chance of detection but he took calculated risk. At least I am clueless unless you have an answer as to what could be the mental acumen of the bomber who struck with such precision and expertise that gas pipes blown out and resulted in engulfing the whole hotel in fire. Had the gas pipes not hit, there could not be such a voluminous fire but the question is how would he know where the gas pipes are laid?

Quite a sizeable number of people have died including high ranking Czech ambassador or for that matter, poor security guards while far too many are injured and our top brass, as always, has condemned the attack, offered condolences on deaths and re assured the nation that outlaws under any circumstances will not be allowed to challenge the writ of the government. I dare not dispute as to what has been said by our rulers except to again pose the question as to who earned laurels at Marriot-our Interior Advisor or the suicide bomber or both of them?

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With my honest and solemn prayers

Sincere Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait / zaidi_exdiplomat_kuwait@hotmail.com