'DNA' EDIT: Learn from mistakes

The suicide attack by two terrorists on a CRPF camp in Srinagar, resulting in the death of five jawans, is a reminder that the threat of terror strikes still remains. The state administration and the Union government must now work hard to ensure that this attack remains a one-off event and that terrorism, which was on the wane, does not resurface.

The Union government has been quick to blame elements in Pakistan, and the Hizbul Mujahideen has taken responsibility for the attack and threatened to carry out more. But India must note that Pakistani foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar condemned the attack, and work on this sentiment to clamp down on terrorism in India and Pakistan. Given that the Kashmiris too are tired of terrorism, the time to hit terrorism hard is now.

Yet, terrorism cannot be won without sufficient intelligence. India was on alert ever since Afzal Guru was hanged, yet since then, there was a blast in Hyderabad and now a terrorist attack in Srinagar. In both cases, authorities claimed they had prior information. If that is so, how will we stop future attacks? The priority must be to strengthen the intelligence system so that the acts of terror can be nipped in the bud. This is not impossible. That no terror strikes took place in Srinagar for three years till Wednesday’s attack shows that a strong intelligence gathering set-up can make all the difference between life and death.