Blood-curdling attack of Taliban on defenseless school children in Pakistan has not only shocked the Pakistanis but nations across the world. The cowardice act of terrorism started on the morning of 16 December, when nine terrorist disguised in paramilitary uniforms climbed the walls of the Army Public School and Degree College in Peshawar. Terrorists went from classroom to classroom, shooting indiscriminately. Terrorists also targeted the Children and wives of Pakistan Army officers. As reported by Pakistani media, the wife of a serving Brigadier of Pakistan Army was burnt alive and two sons and the wife of a major were also shout dead. At least 145 people including 132 children were dead by the time the last of the nine attackers was killed. This is the worst attack in Pakistan since the 2008 suicide bombing in Karachi which eradicated 150 lives.
The Children have remained the victim of the barbaric acts of Taliban. Forced child recruitment for suicide bombing appears common; certain Pakistani Taliban commanders bear a specific responsibility for training suicide bombers, and a significant amount of propaganda material is directed at young people. The schools are one of the most vulnerable institution in Taliban influenced areas. As UN reported, there were 78 Taliban’s attacks against schools, teachers and school children reported to the United Nations only during year 2013. Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani youth shot in the head by the Taliban outside her school in Swat Valley. She survived, became a Nobel Prize laureate and global advocate for girls’ education. Yesterday’s attack, reminded me Malala Yousafzai’s speech on receipt of her Nobel peace Prize in Oslo last week in which she wished her generation would be “the last that sees empty class rooms, lost childhoods and wasted potentials.’’
Yesterday’s attack also clearly exhibits that frustrated Taliban’s are on the run due the effectiveness of Pakistan’s continuing military offensive, Zarb-i-Azb. This is visible from TTP commanders’ statements in which they said that they selected the army’s school for the attack because the government is targeting them. Since its launch in June this year, the Pakistani military offensive has eliminated a large number of terrorists.
TTP have been involved in transnational terrorism through their groups’ alliance with al-Qaeda. Only two weeks ago, Pakistan Army raided on a militant hideout and shot dead a top al-Qaeda operative, Saudi national Adnan el-Shukrijumah. He wanted for plotting to bomb the New York subway system. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has offered a $5 million reward for the capture of this 39 year old man who believed to be the chief of al-Qaeda’s external operations. Pakistan Army has been involved in safeguarding security and stability through tackling terrorism. Over 1200 militants have been killed since the inception of the ongoing military operation ‘Zarb-e-Azb’ in the tribal area of North Waziristan. Pakistan armed forces have also seized 132.5 tonnes of explosives and more than 12,000 different types of weapons during the clearance operation.
For more than 10 years, the Pakistani military, with limited resources has fought a very difficult war of attrition against an elusive enemy. According to the statistics of South Asian Terrorism portal from 2003 to April 2014, Pakistan has lost 18775 Civilians and 5681 security forces personals in terrorist violence. It has also resulted in to destruction of infrastructure, internal migration of millions of people from parts of north western Pakistan, erosions of investment climate, nose diving of production and growing unemployment and above all brought economic activity to a virtual standstill in many part of the country. Pakistan had never witnessed such devastating social and economic upheaval in its industry, even after dismemberment of the country by direct war.
The Peshawar attack has made Pakistan recognize once again that Taliban militants had become an ominous threat to Pakistan’s security and stability. TTP while targeting the family members of Pakistan army has ignored that essence which motivates soldiers to fight derives from self-sacrifice and commitment. I believe, Peshawar attack has boosted both self-sacrifice and commitment in our armed forces which is so essential to the maintenance of morale. Let us be united, let us defeat the terrorists and send a strong message to cowards that you may martyr us but you can’t defeat us.
