The government has responded to the bomb blasts in much the same way it had to similar incidents in the past. There seems to be little sense of urgency at the highest political level that one would have expected to see on the heels of Begum Zia's thoughtfully early return from China in view of the August 17 bombings. Furthermore, there has been precious little information released by the government as to status of the investigation, so the public is pretty much in the dark and does not know what to think.

It is understandable that the government does not wish to create a panic. However, by being seen to be rather laid back and by keeping much information about the investigation to itself, the government is actually fueling speculation and fear about extremists' presence. The bombing has set the nation's nerves on edge, and people need to see that the government is doing something to follow up and to keep them safe.

The most important thing at a time like this is to ensure national security. This means a government that is fully alert and fully engaged with rooting out the terrorists and safeguarding the public. We have seen no evidence of this as yet.

The big thing which is necessary at a time like this is mass awareness, so that people fully comprehend the threat and can be vigilant to protect themselves and to help prevent another attack. But awareness cannot be created unless the people are informed of what the situation is, where things stand and what's the government doing about it.

The government has responded with similar indifference and opacity to past terrorist attacks. But in the aftermath of the August 17 blasts, such apparent nonchalance is utterly undesirable. The government needs to demonstrate to us that the bomb blasts are its primary concern, and it needs to keep the public abreast of what it knows and what steps it is taking in this regard.