Peshawar attack: Armed forces beef up school security

Political parties call for joint efforts to wage war on terror.

KARACHI: Security has been tightened at schools operating under the administration of the Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force as well as at military institutions after a militant attack on an army-run school in Peshawar claimed the lives of 135 people, most of them children, on Tuesday.

Sources also claimed that a backlash of Operation Zarb-e-Azb, being undertaken by the army against the militants, had been expected. “The operation was getting good results, so we expected them [the militants] to react, particularly against ‘soft’ targets in urban areas,” an official explained. “Today’s attack is a lesson for those who still differentiate between the ‘Taliban’ and the ‘mujahideen’ - they must understand that these militants are not from among us.”

Politicians react

Leaders of political parties called upon Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairperson Imran Khan to join hands against terrorism.

“Unfortunately, some political leaders are doing politics on nonissues,” said provincial education minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro. He added that all political leaders should put their differences aside and devise a mechanism against terrorists. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has announced a three-day mourning period and asked its members to rush to Peshawar to help the people.

Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz leader Saleem Zia held those political leaders responsible for the Peshawar incident who had opposed army action against the militants in North Waziristan. Governor of Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan also condemned the incident.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2014.