Gunmen stormed an army-run school in a heavily-guarded area of Peshawar, killing 132 schoolchildren, nine staff member and injuring 122 more, according to DG ISPR.
Security forces arrived at the Army Public School, located on busy Warsak Road near cantonment, and kicked off rescue operation. Medics in the hospitals said the dead also include a security officer and a female teacher. They feared that the death toll may rise as many of the injured were serious. The students are aging between 10 to 18 years.
Police and military officials said two of the attackers have been eliminated while one blew himself up after exchanging fire with security forces. They said the terrorists attacked central auditorium of the school where a function was underway. According to eyewitnesses, who were rescued by security forces, six terrorists wearing uniform of security forces barged into the school building and opened indiscriminate fire after taking many children and teachers hostage. “They were wearing black uniforms and carrying rifles in their hands… They opened fire on students and left many of them dead and injured,” Ahsan Mukhtar, a student spoke to media persons after being rescued. He said he saw four bodies of his colleagues. Mudassir Abbas, a lab assistant rescued from the school, said he saw many injured inside the school after gunfire. Parents of the schoolchildren and media persons were barred at entry point and were not allowed in as gunfire was being heard from the building. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), most of the children and staff have been rescued. It further stated that the exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists is still continuing. However, it was not clear how many students and staff members are still being held in the school which educates the children of both officers and non-commissioned soldiers and army wives often teach in them. Army chief General Raheel Sharif has reached Peshawar and vowed to continue the fight against the militants until they are completely eliminated from the country.
DG Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj-Gen Asim Bajwa posted on twitter that the tragic incident has saddened that COAS, but at the same time he has said that, “our resolve has taken new height. Will continue go after inhuman beasts, their facilitators till their final elimination”.
Politicians are busy in blame game and securing political advantage and country has been left on the mercy of the terrorists. Terrorists are inhuman; they would not feel shy to attack even the schools and colleges. High ups of the government can save themselves by putting big hurdles outside their residences and the offices. A high level military operation is underway in the North and West of the country and hundreds of terrorists have been killed and most of them have run away to the neighboring country. But we have seen the brutality of the terrorists in the last decade or so, law enforcement agencies should have been ready for the counter attack. Some times terrorists hit the Karachi Air base, Headquarters of the army was not spared, Sri Lankan Cricket team has been attacked, Police training centre in Lahore have been attacked but it seems that we have not learnt from the past. This infamous incident has arisen number of questions, if the terrorists are been killed on daily basis then why they are not been eradicated. Leaders of religious and political parties must also not give speeches of killings on the name of god. This is crucial time in the recent history of the country; all the stack holders must be united in this war against terrorism because it would decide our history.
