PESA rejects justification issued by TTP for the killing little angels

Lahore: Pakistan Ex-Servicemen Association (PESA) on Thursday voiced deep grief and shock at the barbaric massacre of 131 little angels and teachers of a school at Peshawar terming it an unforgivable crime against humanity.

Such a deadliest terror attack is totally unprecedented history of Pakistan or anywhere in the world and no human being can ever defend this heinous crime on any account, it said.

TTP is justifying attack on future of Pakistan with reference to Islamic teachings. Our religious leaders and scholars must come out in the open to prove them wrong.

This was observed in an urgent meeting with President of PESA Lt Gen Ali Kuli Khan in chair. Vice Admiral Ahmad Tasnim, Lt Gen Naeem Akbar, Air Marshal Masud Akhtar, Brigadiers Mian Mahmud, Masud ul Hassan, Muhammad Arbi and Simon Sharaf, Col Dalel Khan, Maj Farouk Hamid Khan, Ahmad Anwar Al, Niak Muhammad Fazil and others were also present on the occasion.

The incident gave a clear message that terrorists are still operating from Afghanistan despite assurances from the newly elected President of Afghanistan for their elimination. The PESA members asked the PM to insist upon USA and Afghanistan to prove their verbal assurances by eliminating TTP leadership and its command and control centres from Afghanistan and hand over wanted personnel to Pakistan.

Army Chief’s visit to Kabul as most important and appropriate to impress upon the Afghan and US military authorities to take urgent steps to fulfil their commitments.

They said that intelligence agencies must not consider that their job was over by claiming that they had already issued warnings of likely attacks. They have to reach terrorists contacts and bases to destroy them. Majority of accused are let off by courts due to lack of evidence. Those responsible for laxity in investigation must be dealt with severely.

Ex-servicemen welcomed lifting ban on execution of death penalties. Prolonged delays had given the feeling of appeasement towards the terrorists. That view was strengthened when a large number of terrorists were released unconditionally or through jail break.

Welcoming the meaningful unanimity among politicians, they said it is surprising that all that the Parliamentary Parties meeting has achieved is the formation of a committee to prepare action plan. Was our leadership not in a position to produce some workable ideas even when faced with a grave tragedy and an emergency situation? The only positive achievement of this meeting appears to be a cease fire declared by PTI.

Use of terms like good and bad Taliban is vague and confusing. All shades of TTP including various Lashkars so-called as Punjabi Taliban and Al Qaeda are fighting Pakistan. They should have been named directly.

They said that security of all educational institutions, particularly associated with military must be enhanced. This particular school had only two private security guards insufficient to stop any assault.

The principal and many teachers sacrificed their lives but refused to leave the children alone. Their sense of dedication to duty, bravery and sacrifice in the face of grave danger must be recognized though appropriate gallantry awards and other compensation.

Defining terrorism is important to defeat it, therefore PESA has prepared comprehensive National Security and Anti-Terrorism policies and presentation was also made to top leadership of PML-N. PESA offers its services once again, in finalization of these crucial policies.