The suicide attack on the Shahi Mosque in Pakistan is not just another headline in a region long scarred by violence. It is an assault on faith, humanity and the very idea of coexistence. To target worshippers in a mosque — a place meant for peace, reflection and surrender to the divine — is an act of chilling moral bankruptcy. Terrorism has no sect, no religion and no justification. Yet time and again, extremists cloak their brutality in the language of faith. There is nothing Islamic, moral or righteous about blowing up innocent people at prayer. It is cowardice masquerading as conviction. Attacks on places of worship are calculated. They aim to inflame sectarian divisions, provoke retaliation and fracture already fragile societies. By turning sacred spaces into crime scenes, terrorists seek to poison communal trust and deepen fault lines between communities. The Shahi Mosque attack appears designed not just to kill, but to divide. Pakistan has paid a heavy price for extremism over decades. Mosques, shrines, churches, schools and marketplaces have all been targeted. Each time, there are vows of resolve. Each time, the grief is real. But grief alone is not enough. Condemnations must translate into sustained action — dismantling terror networks, countering radical propaganda and addressing the conditions that allow militancy to fester. Equally important is moral clarity. There can be no “good” militants and “bad” militants, no selective outrage depending on the victims’ sect or affiliation. Violence against civilians is indefensible — whether in a mosque, a temple, a church or a marketplace. Consistency is the foundation of credibility.The attack also reminds us of a larger truth: when extremism is tolerated in any form, it eventually consumes its own. The fire of radicalism does not remain contained. It spreads, burns and destroys indiscriminately. At moments like these, societies face a choice. They can retreat into suspicion and anger, or they can reaffirm shared values of dignity and human life. The latter is harder. It demands courage from political leaders, religious scholars and citizens alike. The victims at Shahi Mosque were not combatants. They were ordinary people seeking solace in prayer. Their deaths demand more than sympathy; they demand accountability and an unwavering commitment to reject hate in all its forms.Terror thrives on fear. The strongest response is unity — across sects, across communities, across borders. Because when a mosque is attacked, it is not just one community that bleeds. Humanity does.