“Peshawar Attack” has become most trending Hash tag on Twitter at the moment. Tuesday’s terrorist attack in Peshawar has engulfed whole world with a deep feeling of sorrow and pain which the 130 innocent defenceless kids might have suffered while the bullets of cowards were piercing their bodies.
Terrorist attacks like Tuesday’s massacre of a generation of Pakistan and the suicide attack at Wagah border on Pakistan side which claimed 64 innocent Pakistani nationals are fruits of Pakistan’s dubious and arrogant policies to care more about the Islamic extremists, funding ISI for anti-India Jihad than caring for its own common citizen. This is the outcome of rejecting India’s plea for a peaceful co-existence with joining hands to eliminate terrorism and work for development in the region.
Pakistan is into deep mourning, so is the whole world. The families of the kids are inconsolable. The Pakistan government has announced a three-day mourning but the deadly siege at Army Public School that led to 141 deaths – out of which 132 were of children – and countless injuries almost immediately led to outpourings of condemnations and grief from across the country and internationally.
Pakistan’s deeds paying back?
Pakistan is going through the same state of mind which, its neighbor India has many times felt and forgot the wounds caused by the terror networks patronized by Pakistan government and its rogue spy agency ISI. On each infiltration attempt in India, by its Army or Terrorists intruding with the help of backup fire by Pakistan soldiers, Pakistan government has remained adamant and stubborn. Pakistan and its rulers sponsored terrorism at all cost to pierce India into pieces for no reason.
Now same ghost of the Islamic militancy has caused tears in the common citizen of Pakistan whose most beloved children became soft targets for the Islamic Militia.
Does Pakistan’s trust its own words?
Let’s see what Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says. Nawaz terms the terror attack as a ‘national tragedy’ adding that was an absolutely cowardly act. Shortly after attending an emergency meet Sharif said, “This is a national tragedy. These were my kids. This is my loss. Peshawar attack is an absolutely cowardly act.”
“Government, in collaboration with Pak army, will take decision on fighting terrorism. We won’t stop until terrorism is stopped,” he added.
Sharif announces three days of nationwide mourning. Nawaz condemned the attack saying that the terrorists should not be spared and that the kids were the foremost priority at the moment.
Pakistan’s so far dubious policies towards terrorism derogate Nawaz Sharif’s words not to spare the terrorist seem hollow and his saying the killed were his Kids has no meaning as his words now and his words earlier has a vast mismatch.
Anti- India rants at what cost?
Ignoring India’s pleas of peaceful co-existence and advising India not to ignore the dividends of peace, Pakistan PM Nawaz told the World about the “missed opportunities” for prosperity in South Asia reasoning them for “unresolved conflicts” in the region,. Showing no signals of its naked and deplorable stands to back terrorism, Pakistan Premier told World audience that his nation’s support and advocacy of the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is a historic commitment and duty.
Just like Pakistan’s previous rulers Nawaz Sharif also rake up “Kashmir” rant. Pakistan tried to dare India on the backdrop of India’s cancelling Secretary level talks citing Pakistan’s preference to meet separatists ahead of talks. “We cannot draw a veil over the issue of Kashmir, until it is addressed in accordance with the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said in his speech at the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly on 26 September 2014.
Recently, in SAARC meet, Sharif launched attack as an attempt to expose India, stating that if India wants to restore ties, the Kashmir issue must be discussed and “that too seriously with full sincerity”. “He said that the Indo-Pak talks will not be continued at the cost of dignity, self-respect and reputation of Pakistan.
Prior to that, when Pakistan rangers entered Indian borders and killed two India’s soldiers beheading one’s head, Pakistan was busy enjoying plights of widows and children of all those martyred Indian soldiers. Shamefully Pakistan lodged allegations against India on international level for the cross border tensions.
One month before the Peshawar attack, Pakistan’s Army Chief General Raheel Sharif was busy convincing the world that Pakistan’s operation against terrorists in the country’s tribal region was affected by Indian troops’ continuous violation of ceasefire at the Line of Control and International Border.
One month before that Pakistan NSA Sartaj Aziz was busy in telling a US delegation Pakistan’s “concerns” about the ceasefire violations. For years, Pakistan thrashed all sincere attempts of India to initiate a fresh start for India- Pakistan relations.
Nawaz failed sensing..
The wax on glossy picture of India-Pakistan’s friendship melted when Nawaz Sharif was attacked by his political opponents like Maulana Kadri and PTI Chief Imran Khan for bowing before India. Nawaz couldn’t handle the political anchor based on “Hate India” policy and failed to sense situation that the terrorists in his country pose bigger challenge than India who always talked about Peace and Development.
Nawaz forgot that he inherits a worsening security situation in his country and Islamic terrorists and extremists, once patronized by state elements in Pakistan, will start targeting the state and its people in different parts of the country.
India’s thrust for peace and development
In May 2014, new government in India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi started a dialogue process with all its neighbours. Prime Minister Modi took this on a new plain by inviting all SAARC nations for the oath taking ceremony. The hopes of friendly neighbourhood were at its peak when the region of South Asia with the world saw informal and friendly dialogues between Modi and all SAARC nation leaders. Most watched was the meeting between Modi and Sharif who like long friends greeted each other. Meeting between both leaders worked as an ice breaker. Even the situation on borders was the same but world saw Indian and Pakistani counterparts smiling and sharing some lighter moments.
For India, a peaceful periphery was always an anchor of its foreign policy. Indian PM Narendra Modi immediately stood behind Pakistan and Nawaz when on 8 June 2014, 10 militants armed with automatic weapons, a rocket launcher, suicide vests, and grenades attacked Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan. 36 people were killed, including all 10 attackers, and at least 18 were wounded. Coincided with reports of heavy shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir, Modi wrote a letter to Sharif in which he condemned the terror attack on Karachi airport and hoped for a further improvement in bilateral relations. Modi said he was looking forward to working with him in a violence-free atmosphere.
And now, even the Pakistan has posed stern gestures against India, hours after the massacre of school children in Peshawar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Nawaz on Tuesday night and condemned the attack in strongest possible terms. Modi said the savage attack on innocent children, “who are the epitome of finest human values in a temple of learning, is not only an attack against Pakistan but against humanity”.
Modi, in the gravest hours of Pakistan, expressing grief in the mind of each Indian conveyed that India stands firmly with Pakistan in the fight against terror. “We are ready to provide all assistance in this hour of grief,” he told Nawaz.
The Lok Sabha on observed a brief silence in the memory of 141 Pakistanis, inluding 132 children, killed by terrorists at a Peshawar school and passed a resolution condemning the “despicable and cowardly” terror act. In the resolution proposed by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan during the Zero Hour, the members extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and shared sympathies with the government and people of Pakistan.
Time for Pakistan to understand…
Pakistan should now realize that the most mournful and shocking terror attack in Peshawar which has shocked the world, has its roots in Pakistan’s approach of coddling terror networks on its soil.
By patronizing terrorists and Jihadist like Mumbai Attack mastermind Hafiz Sayeed, funding ISI for sole cause of nurturing terror modules in India, feeding separatists and frequent ceasefire violations, to unstable the region of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan is creating a gloomy future for the nation and the citizen who are fighting against poverty and basic amenities like millions of Indians.
Pakistan rulers should once pay attention to India and PM Modi who urge Pakistan to crack down on militants and hoped for a better picture that India and Pakistan will wage a war against poverty and not each other. PM Modi told Pakistan that he was prepared to engage in a serious bilateral dialogue with Pakistan “without the shadow of terrorism” but asked it to create an “appropriate environment” for that.
It is time to understand that when you protect and promote people like Hafiz Sayeed who spread the venom of Jihad in the minds of youth, there is no guarantee that they will use it only in Kashmir; because terrorism is essentially a headless dragon. Only in a rogue state, non-state actors can have deadly weapons in abundance.
Each event has a lesson to be learnt; let’s hope Pakistan learns its lessons and sincerely joins India in the war against terrorism.
OPINION 