The target killing of a Deobandi scholar Maulana Adil in Khi &now a bomb blast in a Peshawar madrassa. 3 things r common in these attacks: a) they've been conducted in provincial capitals, b) no group has claimed them, c) a deliberate attempt to exploit religious faultlines. 1/4

These attacks have taken place against the backdrop of a renewed Sunni-Shia tension in Pak resulting in massive rallies by Sunni groups in the major cities. The Hazarganji attack in Quetta on Sunday was claimed by a Baloch separatist group. 2/4

TTP's regrouping is centered around only targeting the security forces and government functionaries. This is why it is important to closely watch who claims these attack. It would be equally important to see if the govt attributes the responsibility to a particular group. 3/4

Let's keep in view an educational institute in Kabul was bombed a couple of days ago & no group claimed it. Taliban denied responsibility. May be, the Peshawar madrassa bombing is a reprisal attack. 4/4

4/4+1 The National Action Plan (NAP) requires
re-evaluation of its implementation mechanism & pol ownership. A fresh assessment of threat groups is also needed. NACTA issued a threat alert of possible attacks in Quetat & Peshawar. So, intelligence is doing its job.

The IED attacks in FATA ve become a daily occurrence. Sometimes, due to censorship, these attacks ain't reported. At any rate, an immediate&full-spectrum response is required b4 the threat reconstitutes itself. The PTI govt needs to focus its combative energies in this direction.