Pak agencies have failed to study patterns of terrorism, says NCHR chairman

Pakistan's National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) Chairman retired Justice Ali Nawaz Chohan has said that the August 8 suicide bombing at the Civil Hospital Quetta has exposed the failure of intelligence agencies in combating terrorism.

In an address at the Quetta Press Club recently, he said agencies responsible for providing security to the people have failed to study patterns of terrorism that are often repeated.

He added that the security forces, government departments and doctors have urged the government to conduct a 'mercliess inquiry' into the incident to fix this responsibility.

He also pointed out that doctors working at the government hospitals in Quetta lack professional skills and training to deal with an emergency situation and urged the health department to ensure the doctors' capacity building in this regard.

The Quetta attack killed at least 70 people, mostly journalists and lawyers as the attack targeted a group journalists and mourning lawyers, who had gathered there to accompany the body of murdered Bilal Anwar Kasi, former president of the Balochistan Bar Association.

Kasi was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on the same morning in a different incident.

Repeated incidents of bombings, targeted killings and kidnappings have a long history in Quetta.

In February 2013, at least 110 people were killed and 200 injured after a bomb hidden in a water tank exploded at a market in Hazara Town on the outskirts of Quetta.

The region has also witnessed sectarian attacks against minorities.