‘bad’ Taliban as past policy failure had strengthened terrorist outfits and banned outfits continue to enjoy varying degrees of State patronage.
General Secretary of Pakistan Awami Workers Party Farooq Tariq called for the arrest of Lal Masjid cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz for making Taliban apologists’ remarks soon after the APS attack. He demanded an end to State patronage of religious fanatics, punishment of late Governor Salmaan Taseer’s killer, and an end to rising Talibanisation in the country. Tariq said the general public would not forget Peshawar and would not let it be forgotten by the government.
Members of Pakistan Association for the Disabled, Pakistan Blind Association, and Khawaja Sara community also voiced their condemnation of the Taliban attack on APS and expressed their solidarity with the fight against terror. Family members of those killed in the Wagah Border blast last year also spoke on Friday and said they would not let their loved ones blood go in vain. We will not stop until all the terrorists are avenged, they chanted to the crowd outside the Punjab Assembly.
Representing his party, PML-N Lahore President MNA Pervaiz Malik expressed solidarity with the families of Peshawar attack victims and stated that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif government was committed to implementing the National Action Plan to eradicate terrorism. The PML-N MNA vowed that the attack by Taliban on Army Public High School would be avenged and all efforts and measures were being taken to rid Pakistan of terrorism.
Former Minister for Education and leader of PML Mian Imran Masood, meanwhile, said serious political will was yet to be demonstrated by the current government to confront the sinister designs of terrorist groups. Pakistan People’s Party Human Rights Wing member Asif Khan said the last year had seen horrible attacks on religious minorities and it was important that the government did not fall prey to hardliner groups in the country as it had done in the past. Other prominent personalities, participating in the demonstration, included daughter of PPP Punjab President Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, Jahanara Wattoo, former PPP MPA Sajida Mir, and PTI activist Dr. Seemi Bokhari.
The rally ended with the lighting of candles and recital of the national anthem. Upcoming Faiz Ahmed Faiz Aman Mela to be held in February this year has been dedicated to the martyred children of the Army Public High School Peshawar.