There is today a blood-drenched hole in the claim of the government to have rolled back the forces of terrorism in Pakistan. At least 20 people, among them Haroon Bilour of the Awami National Party (ANP), were killed and 63 injured when a suicide bomber targeted an ANP corner meeting in the Yakatoot area of Peshawar on the evening of July 10th. This is the second time the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has targeted the Bilour family. They killed Haroon’s father in December 2012. The attack was quickly claimed by the TTP and there is no reason to disbelieve the claim. The TTP is one of the organisations said to be in retreat as a result of sustained efforts by the police, paramilitary and military forces, but not so far in retreat as to be unable to mount lethal bombing operations. This comes against a background of warnings from the National Counter Terrorism Authority…
