Policemen go through the debris of a bomb blast in Dadu. — Reuters

Terror struck Dadu on Sunday as the sleepy town was rocked by a bomb blast that killed at least two people and wounded over a dozen. The blast also destroyed several houses and shops. At this point investigators are still unsure about how the explosion was carried out. A suspect hailing from Swat has been detained while several suspects from madressahs in the area have also been rounded up.

From the description of the suspects in custody one assumes investigators may be probing them for links to religious outfits. An obscure group calling itself Lashkar Balochistan has claimed responsibility for the blast, saying that it was in retaliation for the recent ethnic violence in Karachi. But local investigators in Dadu have rejected the claim. The question remains if the blast was linked to the Karachi violence, why was Dadu targeted? Though the district borders Balochistan it is far removed from the bloodletting in Karachi.

It will probably be a while before a clearer picture emerges. However, this appears to be the first time that an act of terror in the form of a bomb blast has struck this part of Sindh. Though Karachi has been targeted often enough, the rest of Sindh had remained relatively unscathed by violence of this sort. One can only hope that the Dadu blast does not signal a change for the worse. Local residents are naturally unnerved, saying that the blast has shattered the peaceful atmosphere of the town. Whoever the terrorists might be — religious extremists or Baloch nationalists — the law-enforcement agencies must beef up security measures in the town.

Many parts of Sindh already suffer from high rates of routine crime, including kidnappings for ransom and tribal feuds. The prospect of terrorist violence must be snuffed out at the earliest. Due to Sindh's Sufistic ethos, religious militants and their grim worldview have so far not been able to find much support for their activities in the province. This should not change. The police must improve intelligence-gathering, while at the community level people must report suspicious elements in their neighbourhoods — without, of course, resorting to vigilantism.