4 years ago today, Pakistan saw its worst terror attack; 6 gun men of the Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan stormed the Army Public School Peshawar. The attack claimed 149 lives including 132 schoolchildren.
The incident drastically changed the political scenario in Pakistan, bringing all the parties to the same page on the issue of war against terror. For the first time, the civil-military leadership agreed on one strategy to tackle terrorism. This incident allowed for military courts to be established for terror cases and initiated the crucial military operation: Zarb e Azab.
Prime Minister Imran Khan Sunday reiterated that the government would transform the country into such abode where there would be no place for religious, lingual, caste or creed based sectarianism, extremism and violence.
The prime minister in a message on 4th anniversary of Army Public School (APS) Peshawar tragedy reiterated that education was the only weapon with which they could defeat extremism and terrorism permanently.
He said December 16, reminded the nation of that tragic day on which the terrorists, with utter disregard for the humanitarian and religious principles, targeted the innocent students of the Army Public School who had arrived school to seek education with a hope for bright future.
This heart wrenching incident not only inflicted pain and misery on the whole nation, but also paved way for the unity and solidarity among the ranks of the nation against terrorism, he added.
But what has the government actually done to actually relieve the pain of this incident.
The government has not learnt from its past mistakes and continues to neglect religious extremism.
With episodes of state bowing down to Khadim Rizvi and Lashkar e Jhangvi contesting provincial elections, it is a testament that the ‘National Action Plan’ was not more than just words for the government.