Market Bomb Welcomes Hillary Clinton in Pakistan

Clinton's visit to Pakistan was accompanied by an agonizing bomb blast in a crowded market place in the Meena Bazaar area of Peshawar. Her three day visit to the country, where she has gone with the purpose of taking some constructive measures against terrorism, has kicked off in irony as the bomb blast (eighth this month alone) killed 86 (most of them women and children) and injured several others.

As the US Secretary of State clearly stated, "We are turning a page on what has been in the last several years, primarily a security anti-terrorist agenda. It remains a very high priority. But we also recognize that it's imperative that we broaden our engagement with Pakistan", she also said that "our highest priority" still remains security. Hillary Clinton claimed that it is "important for Americans and others to recognize the high price the Pakistanis are paying".

On the other side, Pakistani civilians are in such a pitiable state that they are either fleeing the country or are too numbed to come out of their homes. For a country which has been shattered with suicide bomb attacks and other atrocities, a civil war seems to be inevitable. The Taliban and other smaller terrorist groups have clearly come out in the open with their retaliation. They have proved their mettle in the country by killing civilians by the lot. The people have completely lost faith in the government's integrity. It is understood that the one after the other suicide attacks are meant to declare the distaste against the Pakistan military forces campaigns to drive militants from strongholds in South Waziristan along the borderline of Afghanistan, which is quite permeable for them. These attacks have claimed almost 150 lives till date and the situation at the current location of the blast clearly displays the atrocities of these barbarians. "Bodies are scattered and badly burned because of a fire caused by the explosion," Mohammed Naeem, a spokesman for the Edhi Ambulance Service related. Though since May, the Pakistani army has zeroed in on several extremist bodies, it has only resulted in brazen atrocities through suicide bombings, assaults on military bases and other attacks on civilians. An attack today on the United Nations guest house killed six UN workers. Taliban communicated its reaction against the Afghan Presidential runoff election to be held next month, through the terrorist attack.

"The level of cooperation that we have received from the Pakistani military and intelligence services has increased geometrically", stated Clinton. The secretary also nodded in agreement when asked if the U.S. has aided in the creation of the Muslim Mujahideen in the 1980s against the Soviets. Her reaction was, however, diplomatic when asked if the Pakistani securities have severed all ties with the military groups ploying against India. She maintained, "We are constantly assessing that, because it remains a concern".