The next day, terrorist bombings struck towns in northern Sind province. And around the town of Hangu near the Afghanistan border, four days of sectarian clashes between Sunni and Shia villagers using mortars and rockets were finally broken up by the army. Politics in Pakistan has never been sedate. But in recent months, a rising tide of mayhem has pressured the year-old government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Islamabad's credibility is suffering accordingly.
Security is now very high on the agenda.
Ironically, Sharif's administration is the strongest Pakistan has had for years. Since he came to power with an overwhelming electoral mandate, the PM has moved to secure his position. Sharif pushed through constitutional amendments to trim the powers of the president and to curb floor-crossing by MPs. That led to the resignation of President Farooq Leghari and his replacement by Mohammad Rafiq Tarar, a family friend of the prime minister's. Moreover, Sharif's brother Shahbaz is chief minister of Punjab state while his father exercises influence from behind the scenes.