Today marks the 6th anniversary of the suicide attack on Army Public School in Peshawar by terrorists from Taliban. This tragic incident claimed the lives of over 140 children while leaving hundreds of others physically and emotionally scarred forever. The 16th of December will forever be a black day for all of humanity.
Who Was Responsible?
This attack not only targeted APS but also our future and this is why the world is still shaken. It would be very convenient to hold Taliban responsible and that would seem like the most intelligible decision as well, however, it is equally important to remember how Taliban was created.
Dirty Politics
It was the joint efforts of Pakistan and USA against Soviet Unions invasion of Russia which gave birth to Taliban. This changed after 9/11 since America insisted that Pakistan take a harsher stance on this issue. Pakistan, however, viewed Taliban as the second line of defense against India, and tried to play both sides. This resulted in Taliban developing their own grievances against Pakistan and the APS attack was a way of expressing this. A Taliban spokesperson attempted to justify this attack by saying that this happened since Zarb-e-Azb targeted their families.
Condemning The Attack
Despite this complex spider-web of political conspiracies, it is crucial to remember that nothing permits the killing of innocent children. You don’t have to be a Muslim, a relative or family member, or a Pakistani in order to mourn the loss of these lives; All you need to be to understand and empathize with this loss is a human. Their memory serves as a example of how even the innocent and courageous fall and we refuse to forget them. 16th of December isn’t just a black day for the families of those who passed away or for Pakistanis but rather for all of humanity.
Precautionary Measures
The only way to ensure that nothing like this repeats itself is by enforcing stricter measures. The government of Pakistan should take a firm stand against corruption and terrorism for the safety of its 212.2 million residents.
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