The government must ensure effective and full implementation of the unanimous national action plan to stamp out scourge of extremism and terrorism from the country. This was demanded by the participants of the protest demonstration entitled "Fighting Extremism and Terrorism with Education" held outside City District Government Offices.
The event was jointly staged by the Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM), Peace and Human Development (PHD) Foundation, in collaboration with the Women Social Organisation (WSO) and Rights of Expression, Assembly, Association and Thought (REAT) Network.
At this juncture, the participants strongly condemned the tragic attack by four armed militants at Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, leaving 20 people dead and over 30 people injured, including; students, teachers, security guards, and policemen. They were carrying banners and placards inscribed with statements demanding extension of military operations against extremist and militant organisations across the country.
Speaking on the occasion, the director of the AWAM, Nazia Sardar said, "It is sad that militants targeted Bacha Khan University, named after the late freedom-fighter Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan aka Bacha Khan, at the time when a poetry recital to commemorate the death anniversary of the late freedom fighter, was planned to be held. This attack occurred due to the lack of implementation of NAP by the government, therefore the armed forces must start another operation across the country to eliminate the extremists/terrorists and their facilitators once and for all."
A member of the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW), Shazia George said, "The parents send their children in armed forced to sacrifice their lives for the protection of country, and send their children in educational institutions to get education, but not to embrace martyrdom. Therefore, a strategy to secure educational institutions particularly; the safety of students and teachers across the country must be evolved to protect future of our homeland, as terrorists wish to darken the future of Pakistan by targeting future generations."
The director of the Peace and Human Development (PHD) Foundation, Suneel Malik, "The attack is a question mark on the ongoing operation in Pakistan, therefore, government must call all parties conference to critically examine the manner in which the National Action Plan (NAP), and military operation against terrorist outfits is being executed to wipe out the menace of terrorism from our homeland." "The govt. should take concrete steps and adopt an appropriate strategy against terrorism and the mind-set of those who spread fear and violence across the country," he demanded.
A human rights activist, Naseem Anthony said, "The government and law enforcement agencies have failed to effectively discharge their duties, because attack could have been averted if foolproof security measures had put in place, and militants of earlier incidents of terrorism had swiftly brought to justice." "The government must constitute a task force to devise a strategic plan of action for promoting religious tolerance and pluralism, and introduce a new legislation to defeat sectarianism," he demanded.
A social activist, Muqaddas Abroo said, "There is a need for investment in the alternative means particularly broader program to tackle the root causes and various facets of hate, beginning from the education sector to state level campaigns involving civil-society led initiatives, which will serve as best antidote to combat extremism, inequality and structural discrimination."
A human rights activist, Zafar Iqbal said, "Regrettably, major points of National Action Plan (NAP) have not been implemented so far, therefore there is a need for implementation of the unanimous NAP in letter and spirit, so that the sacrifices rendered by our young heroes and the nation do not go in vain."
A political activist, Arif Ayaz said, "Terrorism cannot be eradicated without fighting extremism, so military operations also have to be conducted on the civil front to win the war against extremist elements." "The sectarianism will not come to an end unless hate is rooted out that is entrenched within our textbooks, that is sown in sermons across Pakistan and casually thrown about in drawing room conversations," he demanded.
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