One month later

On December 16, 2014, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan attacked the Army Public School in Peshawar. By the end of the day, they had killed more than 140 people, including 132 children and the school principal. At least 130 people were injured in the attack. All the terrorists were killed by security forces. It was arguably the deadliest terrorist attack to occur in Pakistan with the number of casualties surpassing that which occurred on Benazir Bhutto’s welcome when she returned to the country in 2007. In its preparation and execution, there was a marked similarity between this atrocity and the Beslan school incident in North Ossettia in 2004. Such are the bald facts, and the effect of the attack promises to be both profound and long-lasting, having consequences that may play out to significant changes in the way the government of Pakistan identifies and combats terrorism and extremism. The attack is beginning to look like a true watershed moment, and perhaps, most importantly, has forced the recognition that there is to be no distinction between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ Taliban.

On December 17, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif completed the paperwork rescinding the moratorium on the death penalty that had been in place since 2008, and hangings commenced soon thereafter and continue. The 20-point National Action Plan (NAP) was formulated with remarkable speed and political unity — which is dissipating — and is now the framework upon which the agents of change are hung. What at first sight appeared to be little more than a wish list is being crafted across a number of fronts into a clear set of policies and actions that really do address core issues that are fundamental to the health of the state and one hopes that this time, there is a real resolve to go after terrorists of all hues. The pain and grief of those families who lost their children, the life of disability that lies ahead for many of the injured, and the bravery of those who went back to the APS on January 12 is deep and will endure. There is no quick fix for the multiple flaws contributing to why Pakistan arrived at a point where terrorists were able to commit a mass slaughter of children; and it must never happen again. This time, enough really is enough.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 16^th, 2015.

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