Attack in Peshawar

We see it all once again. When the coffins are lifted, they will be filled with a weight that is once again unbearable to carry for those who take them to their graves. In Peshawar’s Dir Colony, at least eight people were killed and more than 110 injured in an explosion on Tuesday morning at the Jamia Zuberia madressah. All those killed are thought to be young men aged between 19 and 40 years. Children as young as seven were studying at the madressah at the time it was hit. Most of the injured taken to Lady Reading and other hospitals in Peshawar are young.

It is unbelievable that any group could choose to punish children for whatever purpose lies behind their crime. We must remember that the primary duty of the state is to protect its people, and especially those who are most vulnerable such as children. We have been calling them martyrs for far too long. Our children should not have to be burdened with such a huge responsibility or face such attacks. The prime focus of the state and the government must be to stop such killings. After 2015 we had a respite in the terrorist attacks taking place in the country. But clearly, despite being weakened, militant groups can still strike at any time no matter what security precautions are taken. There may have been victories on the battlefield but the follow-through has been weak. Successive governments have promised to strengthen the National Counter Terrorism Authority, as called for by the National Action Plan, but once again it seems to exist in a state of stasis. It is devastating that these attacks are beginning to occur once again. The reasons need to be understood better. So do the politics.

It is of course too early to say who placed the improvised explosive device inside the madressah early Tuesday morning. It is also too early to rule out anything. These are details which will need to be investigated and probed. We await the reports from the police. In the meanwhile, we once again mourn the death of our own people. Their killers cannot be forgiven. Those who killed the children at the APS have virtually gotten away with their crime. This must not happen again. This attack should serve as a grim reminder that many of the promises made in the National Action Plan are yet to be fulfilled. The time has come to stop the bloodshed no matter for what reason it occurs or why or who carries it out.