There is not the slightest element of doubt that the sanctity of life has ceased to be an article of faith with the brand of people who, in modern-day parlance, are called terrorists or militants. Though openly professing strict adherence to Islam, they do not hesitate to kill and maim purely innocent fellow citizens or those whom they perceive to be their enemies. And all this in the name of the religion that unequivocally stands for peace and characterises the murder of one innocent human being as the death of the entire humanity. To prove the point: in the span of a few hours, beginning from Friday night, 120 persons lay dead in two of Pakistans tribal agencies Mohmand and Bajaur as a result of their murderous spree and the fighting they provoked. The rampaging crowds of terrorists, numbering about 150, had occupied some check posts in Mohmand Agency on Friday night, killed 11 security personnel and lost 24 of their gang. There are reports that the exchange of fire still continues. The next morning, the people woke up to learn that two other bloody incidents have also rattled the countrys tribal belt. One was conducted by the security forces in retaliation for the above raid, claiming the deaths of 40 militants; and the other in Bajaur Agency where a woman suicide bomber blew herself up in front of a queue that had been formed at the World Food Centre in Tehsil Khar. The immediate death toll in Bajaur was 43, both young and old, and the number of the wounded stood at 72. Since quite a few sustained serious injuries, the loss of life could be much higher in the ultimate count. To recall, another event early this month had killed 43 in Ghalanai of Mohmand Agency. It is a sombre scenario. The unending expression of brutality must not be allowed to persist and a way must be found to calm the nerves of these enraged fellow citizens. Their grouse against Pakistan is no secret. It has sided with their enemy (US and allies) who is not only occupying the land of their co-ethnics but also mercilessly killing them for waging legitimate resistance. As every syllable of the charge is true, they feel justified in retaliating against Pakistans security forces, which in pursuit of the designs of their enemy are taking armed action against them to forestall their possible move to help their brethren in Afghanistan. Not only that. The US seems to have been given carte blanche to launch drone raids that have killed over 2200 innocent people only in three years. The most effective answer to this situation is as simple as the charge. Stop siding with the US There is logic behind this from another angle as well. Since our association in the war, the countrys resources have been going down the drain. We have only earned insecurity of life and property, economic and food insecurity, growing impoverishment, etc. We must cut our links off with the war-mongering aliens and strike rapprochement with our own people and neighbours to make for peace between us.