PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed to eradicate terrorism from the country, a day after a deadly attack in Peshawar killed 148 people, including 132 students.
“We have decided to draft an action against terrorists and act upon it immediately,” Nawaz said, while reading out decisions deliberated at the All Parties Conference chaired by him earlier today at the Governor House in Peshawar.
Elaborating on the plan of action, the premier said, “We have unanimously decided that a committee comprising all parliamentary parties under Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar will prepare a plan of action against terrorism which will be submitted to the national leadership within seven days.”
Member of armed forces, intelligence and political parties will be a part of the committee.
Remorseful, Nawaz said, “We express deep grief over the Peshawar tragedy. This incident has no match in the history of Pakistan.”
Backing the decision to launch a full-scale offensive against militants in June this year in North Waziristan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Nawaz said, “We have all seen the results of dialogue with the Taliban. We could not achieve anything through dialogue and then the Karachi airport was attacked.”
He continued there is a need to take stern action against all militants across the country and not just the northern tribal areas.
“Operation Zarb-e-Azb is continuing successfully but we need to draft a plan of action to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the whole country.”
“We announce that there will be no differentiation between 'good' and 'bad' Taliban and have resolved to continue the war against terrorism till the last terrorist is eliminated,” he continued.
Nawaz also expressed his resolve to eliminate terrorism not only in Pakistan but the whole region, “We don’t only want peace in Pakistan but Aghanistan as well. We want peace in the whole region.”
Further, regarding an announcement from the premier’s office earlier today regarding his decision to lift the ban on death penalty in terrorism cases, Nawaz questioned, “If terrorists are not punished, then who will be punished?”
“We have proposed terrorism cases should be expedited, so those responsible are punished.”
Seated in between Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan, responding to a question regarding PTI’s postponement of his countrywide shutdown, PM Nawaz said, “I am thankful to Imran Khan for attending this meeting and I have invited him over for tea.”
A gesture of unity in the wake of the recent attack, the premier further said, “Dialogue can resolve all sorts of issues in democracy.”
However, to this, interrupting the premier’s speech, PTI chairman Imran Khan said, “Our differences are not about our egos, they are about rigging.”
“The nation has to unite because the military cannot win this alone,” Imran contended, adding, “Today, we all agreed that a national plan to eliminate terrorism should be prepared.”
Further, he said, from the conference he will go directly to his container where they will offer funeral prayers in absentia for the victims.
At this point, Nawaz jokingly added, “I have to visit injured children at the hospital otherwise I would have gone to the container with Imran.”
COMMENTS (15)
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Notice he still plays with words. Says "Good and Bad Taliban", not "Good and Bad Terrorists:. You get the point?
wah wah!! aik aur committee!!!
Let us see do you undo with Zia notorious anti human legislation or not.Let us see how you deal with religious lobby.Let us see if CII remains or go.If not then lesson not is learnt and country goes ahead with same chaos after temporary lull.
Well that is pretty okay to draw lines between Talibans. Now how about the government terrorists? 580 people have died in Sindh Tharparkar, New born babies dying in Sargodha in government hospitals lack of oxygen, killing in model town and list goes on. Who will deal with these terrorists? listening to Nawaz Sharif is like "pot calling the kettle black." So if 132 kids die it makes headlines but if 580 people die slowly no one is bothered. Indeed we are a nation. Frankly speaking do not see much difference between TTP and the Gov.. only difference they kill collectively Gov kills slowly. but we people are all so blind to see the death of poor man's babies, I understand. We need to clean the country of both type of terrorists then only we will have a safe future.
Nawaz Sharif you have won me over. Though.I am a PTI worker I will vite for u next time for leading from the front.
Eradicating terrorism with bombs, guns, military siege, violence and killings is like spilling oil in the fire of our own living room stove!
Terrorism is constantly spreading like a wildfire because the root causes have hardly been addressed.
Mass poverty, illiteracy, deprivation of basic human rights and basic amenities of human life are the basic reasons for the constant widespread of mass terrorism and mass criminality.
On one hand we have the weak, helpless, speechless and vulnerable victims of our greedy and vicious society in Tharparkar and elsewhere. And on the other hand there is a revolt of these poor, very angry and very humiliated young men of Pakistan.
Mr. PM the moment you start eradicating poverty and social injustice in Pakistan and give people their due rights and value for life, terrorism shall start vanishing as the fog in sunshine!
Mr. PM with bombs nobody can eradicate poverty or terrorism.............they both go hand in hand!
Great move by a true leader. Instead of getting tow wickets in one ball, he will now get three! All the despicable Maulana trash will also feel the wrath of the nation! None these pathetic "religious scholars" participated in the MPC as their own reared dogs will now come to gouge their throats as the noose tightens around their own!
Let us hope Pakistan goes after all types of terrorists including Hafiz Saeed, No one will take Pakistan seriously if terrorists like Hafiz Saeed roam freely and spread hate. Whole world knows the locations of Jihadi factories operating from Pakistan.
This is great.
Now, how about a commitment for - No distinction between any "non-state actor" resorting to violence in Pakistan or abroad'. This game of 'terrorist'/'freedom fighter' has gone on too long.
Anyone other than Army & police having an automatic assault weapon should be severely punishable and it should be enforced strictly, if Pakistan is to become a civilized nation again.
"Once an old man called as his 3 sons. He told them, ‘I will give you a bundle of sticks. Separate each stick and you will have to break each stick into half. The one who breaks the sticks quickly will be rewarded more.
All the sons broke the sticks into pieces in minutes.
Then they started to quarrel among themselves as who came first! The old man said, ‘Dear sons, the game is not over. Now I will give another bundle of sticks to all of you. You will have to break the sticks as a bundle, not as separate sticks.’
The sons agreed and began to break the bundle of sticks. Unfortunately, they could not break the bundle. They tried very hard but failed to complete the task. All sons told the father about their failure.
The old man replied, ‘Dear sons, See! You could easily break the single sticks into pieces, but you were not able to break the bundle! The sticks were same. So, if you stay united, nobody can make any harm to you. If you quarrel every time with your brothers, anyone can easily defeat you. I request you to stay united."
Please dont give up my people. Please pray for your country, Pakistanis. Its yours. Each pile of sand to every acre of grass is yours. Please fight for your country, together, as ONE. Quit this PMLN PTI PPP b.s. and think about those 140 who gave their lives away for YOU! Please dont let their and their families' sacrifice be gone to waste. Please WAKE UP and demand justice. Protest for your rights because no one else is going to do it for you.
In this very critical time there will be many trying to ward you away, trying to tell you to give up hope. Dont listen to them. They dont want your happiness! They want this country divided into castes, sects, faiths and they want walls to be built between us countrymen!
Please REMEMBER this story.
Nawaz Govt need to set up Counter Terrorism Authority immediately and if needed, forget all Metro Bus Project and utilize its funds for it. Also try to get free our border for all types of proxy wars, be it Saudia or Iran. We have to get our home in order.
Great message!
Indirect message to Imran niazi to also stop terrorizing our cities - there will be no difference between good and bad tailiban
Long Live Mian Nawaz Sharif. Long Live Pakistan.
Kindly end the menace of terrorism from Pakistan. Kindly annihilate good, bad Taliban and all sectarian outfits. We want to make our country a peaceful land for our future generations. Also i hope our political parties will unite in this hour of need.