Tragic Memory of the Army Public School Attack

By Sajjad Shaukat

In one of the bloodiest-ever terror attacks in Pakistan, six Taliban militants mercilessly killed at least 141 people, including 132 children and nine staff members of the Army Public School and College in Peshawar on December 13, 2014. They also burnt a lady teacher alive. After eight hours operation, Pak Army’s commandos cleared the school area, and six militants were killed.

On the same day, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the ghastly act at the Peshawar school.

The tragic loss of the lives of innocent children moved the entire world deeply. Every Pakistani said that shame on these terrorists who considered innocent children as their enemies, and martyred them through brutal tactics.

The then Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Raheel Sharif, including leaders of various political and religious parties strongly condemned the heinous attack at the Peshawar school. Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan ended the 126-day sit-in at Islamabad and also decided to cooperate with the government against terrorism.

However, after that inhuman gruesome tragedy, question arose as to what measures required to eliminate terrorism from the country.

In this context, the former Army Chief Gen. Raheel accompanied by director general of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) rushed to Kabul on December 17, 2014. Resources suggested that during his meeting with the then Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) commander, he presented evidence of the Peshawar massacre’s linkage with TTP sanctuaries in Afghan provinces of Kunar and Nuristan.

In fact, Afghanistan has become a hub of anti-Pakistan activities from where external secret agencies, especially Indian intelligence agency RAW are sending logistic support to Baloch separatist elements and TTP insurgents in Pakistan. In the recent years, especially TTP’s militants and its affiliated banned groups conducted many terror-activities in various regions of the country as part of the scheme to create chaotic situation in the country. Hence, RAW also used TTP terrorists in relation to the attack at the Peshawar School.

Meanwhile, there arose the need of immediate execution of outstanding cases of death penalty to terrorists. In this respect, ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif revoked the ban on capital punishment in terrorism cases. The nation also expected that politicians should show no politics on the blood of innocent children. For the purpose, leaders of all the top political parties as well as the PTI Chief Imran Khan attended a meeting of the parliamentary parties convened by Prime Minister Sharif after the deadly assault at the school in Peshawar.  All the leaders unanimously decided to form a parliamentary committee to chalk out a “Plan of Action” in seven days which would be approved by the political and military leadership.

In this connection, on January 2, 2015, besides the chiefs of almost all the political parties and military top officials agreed on a draft of legislative measures which paved the way for establishment of special military trial courts. It was unanimously agreed that the 20 points National Action Plan (NAP) enunciated in the All Parties Conference (APC) Resolution of December 24, 2014 was being acted upon—the bill as 22nd (Constitutional) Amendment was enforced soon after its approval from the parliament. Special military courts were established and the ruthless terrorists facing death penalty had been hanged.

Since the establishment of military courts, 345 terrorists were given death penalty and 296 rigorous imprisonments of varied durations, ranging from life imprisonment to a minimum duration of five years. Five accused were also acquitted. Those, who have been given death penalty, included masterminds, executers and abettors/facilitators of terrorists.

In this regard, the role of the Armed Forces is appreciating in uprooting the terrorists from their safe havens. But, inability and evident reluctance on the part of political leadership remained a major contributing factor affecting the implementation of NAP in its true spirit.

It may be informed that in January 2015, apex committees were formed to expedite the implementation of the National Action Plan. 15 committees and sub-committees were set up; however, no plausible developments were witnessed. Ironically, the inability on the part of government was covered with mere verbal statements in relation to NAP implementation.

Unfortunately, a full-scaled activation of National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA) remained in limbo even after eight years of its creation. Lack of allocation of appropriate resources for NACTA, non-framing of service rules for the authority etc. made NACTA a real midsummer night dream. Afterwards, the Central Apex Committee was formed to deal with the growing threat of militancy in the country, decided to set up a National Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) which would operate under the NACTA.

Earlier, Interior ministry’s prepared rules and regulations for International Non-governmental Organizations (INGOs), local NGOs, policy draft over arms licenses, Madrassa (Seminary) reforms etc.—remained non-implemented. Later on, these were implemented to bring the madrassa curriculum in step with the secular modern education being taught across the public and private schools of Pakistan to keep a close tab on their activities, including INGOs, local NGOs etc.

Ironically, after TTP, a newer and more formidable menace in shape of ISIS started raising its head in the region. Terror attacks by these groups in various regions of Pakistan, especially in the Balochistan province might be cited as example.

Notably, Pakistan’s Armed Forces and the ISI have successfully broken the backbone of the foreign-backed terrorists. In this regard, successful military operations such as Zarb-e-Azb (Sharp and Cutting Strike) and ‘Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad (Elimination of Discord) might be cited as instance. Consequently, peace has been restored in Balochistan, Karachi and other vulnerable regions.

But, in the recent past, terrorist attacks in various provinces, particularly in Balochistan, show that external spy agencies, especially RAW want to damage the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In this connection, in November, 2020 at a joint press conference and a joint press briefing, the then DG of ISPR Major-General Babar Iftikhar and the ex-Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had unveiled a dossier containing “irrefutable evidence” of India’s sponsorship of terrorism in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the country’s security agencies had arrested the terrorists involved in a blast which occurred on June 23, 2021 near the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed’s house in Johar Town, Lahore.

Addressing a press conference, Punjab Inspector General of Police Inam Ghani had proved that the mastermind behind the blast was an Indian citizen, having clear links with RAW.

It is mentionable that in a news release, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) revealed that the security forces on December 12, 2023 killed twenty-seven terrorists in various intelligence-based operations, conducted to contain the increased activities of terrorists in Dera Ismail Khan District, while successfully thwarting insurgents’ attacks at a military post in Daraban area—twenty three brave soldiers embraced Shahadat (Martyrdom).

The Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), a terrorist outfit affiliated with the TTP, which emerged on the scene in February this year, took responsibility for the Dera Ismail Khan attack.

Hours after the assault, the foreign secretary called in the chargé d’affaires of the interim Afghan government to deliver Pakistan’s strong demarche. The chargé d’affaires was asked to immediately convey to the interim Afghan government to fully investigate and take stern action against perpetrators of the recent attack.

In the meantime, a terrorist attack unfolded at a police line in Tank, marked by a relentless six-hour exchange of fire between security forces and the assailants since the wee hours of December 15, this year. Three brave policemen were martyred and three terrorists who were present within the police line territory were eliminated, and clearance operation is underway.

Nonetheless, tragic memory of the Peshawar School Attack will remain fresh in the minds of people, as mass murder of children is a manifestation of the most barbaric face of the Taliban insurgency led by TTP.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

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