Pakistan's processes flawed, says daily after Lakhvi bail

The News International said in an editorial that the bail announcement might be pounced on by the Indians as evidence that the Peshawar attacks haven't changed anything

It will be difficult to tackle the militant menace when "our institutional processes are so flawed", a Pakistani daily said Friday, a day after Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, a key mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attack, was granted bail.

The News International said in an editorial that India expressed its sorrow and observed silence to mark the tragedy in Peshawar where 132 children were killed in a Taliban attack on the Army Public School.

"But we may have spurned our chance to make further progress. The decision by an Anti-Terrorism Court to grant bail to Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the prime suspect in the Mumbai attacks, might be pounced on by the Indians as evidence that the Peshawar attacks haven't changed anything," the daily said.

"His release, pending a government appeal, only shows how difficult it will be to tackle the militant menace when our institutional processes are so flawed," it added.

The editorial said that the fight against terror "will take years and require a revolution in our thinking and the way we operate."

"The zeal we have now should not descend into bloodlust and neither should we believe that military action alone will solve the problem within a matter of months," it added.

The government is now considering setting up military courts to swiftly try and sentence militants but in combating the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan "we should not lose our sense of justice."

The daily went on to say that "our political class is on the same page" on the battle against terror.

"It shouldn't have taken the killings of more than 130 children to reach a consensus but in our mourning we have to show resolve - and that is what our political parties are now doing."

The editorial noted that "political unity alone won't get the job done."

"We need the help of our neighbours."