Pakistani internal security (catch all)

[DrNaveed]

It is the ever most terrible and grieved event taking place in Peshawar, Pakistan that resulted in the loss of 143 lives and 150 injured. Among the deaths included more than 130 School Children, belonging to upper class families in Peshawar (PAK Army officers, Government officials and famous Political leaders), two young female School Teachers, a Professor of mathematics and the School Principal were martyred. The Tehrik Taliban Pakistan based in FATA (which is a lawless area in Pakistan), claimed the responsibility for this event.

Terrorism Background: Geographically and politically, Pakistan is placed in a region of great tension influenced by both the immediate neighbors and global powers and is playing a key role in matters of global security. However, many crimes are faced as a result of careless management of refugees and illegal immigrants (including more than 7 millions from Afghanistan, Iran, Burma, Bangladesh and India) and the internally displaced people from the lawless regions in Pakistan.

The internal terrorism is on rise since the October 2001 that made number of productive activities meant for socio-economic development, uncompetitive both in the domestic and international markets resulting in employment and businesses insecurity. The total number of Pakistani killed in crimes and terrorism in the last decade is around 60,000 and more than 200,000 injured; more than 1.50 millions affected; critical facilities and infrastructures destroyed; many people have been disappeared. All these have terrorized and traumatized every other individual, resulting in increase in unemployment and poverty, inclination of people towards unfair means and crimes, harmful effects on developing community programmes, brain drain to foreign countries.

Description of the Incident: This particular event on Tuesday 16 December 2014 is carried out at the Army Public School Peshawar by a group of about eight terrorists (of age 25 to 30 years) dressed in the Frontier Corps uniform (a paramilitary in the KP Province), warring suicide jackets and carrying very large ammunition of latest technology. These terrorists entered the school from the graveyard at the backside at around 11 AM, killing three security guards, talking to each other in Pashto and Arabic. The school at that time was full of around two thousands students. The terrorists first entered the auditorium that was full of students (particularly of 8th and 10th class) busy in taking examinations. The terrorists started indiscriminate firing towards the students. Since the terrorists entered from the backside, some of the students run outside ground to escape. However, the terrorists stormed the ground, killing all the students, some of the students escaped being injured while few uninjured and went out of the school gate. The terrorists entered then the examination hall, where the 11th class students were busy in taking examination, and started indiscriminate firing – killing and injuring all (in the hall, those who run outside ground) where only few escaped unharmed and went out of the school gate. The terrorists when stormed the ground floor of the school, entered each and every classroom and laboratory (on the ground and the first floor) and killed everyone found – few of the students and staff fortunately escaped the deaths. The terrorists conducted the operation very promptly and rushed to escape. However, the Pakistan Army (quick response force) arrived soon, starting the counter-attack, and exchanged fire with the terrorists. The terrorists injured in the fire exchange blowed up themselves, resulting also in the deaths of more school children. The counter attacks by PAK Army were continued till evening - all the terrorists were targeted by PAK Army forces from outside the school through windows, ventilators whereas quick response forces that entered the school killed three of the terrorists.

Event Relevance: The ISPR (military media) reported that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) in his interview to the media stated that the terrorists were carrying large amount of weapons and foodstuff sufficient for some days. The COAS mentioned that the PAK Army has identified the terrorists, the group to which they belong to and the place from where this operation was controlled. The Tehrik-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Khalid Khurasani contacted the media through telephone that this operation was carried out in response to the Zarb-e-Azab operation that has been launched by PAK Army in June 2014 in the Northern Waziristan near Afghan border. Early morning the TTP Leader (Amir) Fazl Ullah telephoned one of the TV Channels Bureau Chief that in a few while He (Fazl Ullah) is attacking a school in Peshawar. The Bureau Chief reported that He (Fazl Ullah) ordered the terrorists to particularly target the children those belonging to the families of Pakistan Armed Forces and government high officials. The COAS went to Kabul, Afghanistan today (early morning) to demand the Afghanistan Government to handover TTP Leader Fazl Ullah. Since, He (Fazl Ullah) has warned of launching further attacks.

Event Impacts: The Prime Minister and other high-level political leaders arrived in Peshawar yesterday on the request of the PM. The PM in his address at the Peshawar KP Assembly said that this coward acts cannot diminish our will to eliminate terrorism. The PM mentioned that such acts of cowardice will not deter our resolve against terrorism and said that the Zarb-e-Azb operation will continue till the extermination of the last terrorist. The PM also ordered the KP Government to hang-till-death all those prisoners, which have been involved in various past terrorism activities and have been found guilty. The execution will be started within the next 48 Hrs.; it is to discourage the terrorism practices in the country.