Three police officers lost their precious lives in the line of duty the other day in Lahore. This is not simply the loss of three lives. Three families have suddenly been pushed into grief, trauma and uncertainty. Behind every police casualty is a family that must live with a loss that can never be fully repaired. The incident also raises difficult questions about the way we deal with radicalised and extremist individuals.

Videos circulating on social media appear to show a very young man, barely 18 years old, accompanied by his elderly father and another young person, involved in the attack. The family had already come under the attention of law-enforcement agencies because of the activities of another family member who had been involved in the targeted killings of police officers.

If a person who was already under surveillance could still become involved in such a violent act, we need to ask whether our existing approach is sufficient. This is not about blaming individual officers. It is about examining the system. Our traditional approach to surveillance relies heavily on physical visits, periodic checks and direct questioning of persons placed on watch........

© The Nation