Refocus
on the Tragedy of Peshawar School Attack by Sajjad Shaukat(JR101SS08)
On December 16, 2014,
in one of the bloodiest-ever terror attacks in Pakistan, six Taliban militants
mercilessly killed at least 141 people, including 132 children and nine staff
members of the Army Public School and College in Peshawar, They also burnt a
lady teacher alive. After eight hours operation, Pak Army’s commandos cleared
the school area, and six militants were killed.
On the same day,
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the ghastly act at
the Peshawar school.
The tragic loss of
the lives of innocent children moved the entire world deeply. Every Pakistani
said that shame on these terrorists who considered innocent children as their
enemies, and martyred them through brutal tactics.
The then Pakistan’s
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Raheel Sharif,
including leaders of various political and religious parties strongly condemned
the heinous attack at the Peshawar school. PTI Chief Imran Khan called off the
December 18 (2014) countrywide shutdown, and also decided to cooperate with the
government against terrorism.
However, after that
inhuman gruesome tragedy, question arose as to what measures required to
eliminate terrorism from the country.
In this context, the
former Army Chief Gen. Raheel accompanied by DG ISI rushed to Kabul on December
17, 2014. Resources suggested that during his meeting with his Afghan
counterpart, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and the ISAF commander, he presented
evidence of the Peshawar massacre’s linkage with TTP sanctuaries in Afghan
provinces of Kunar and Nuristan. He also asked the extradition of the ex-TTP
chief of Mullah Fazlluah, and handing over to Pakistan.
In fact, Afghanistan
has become a hub of anti-Pakistan activities from where external intelligence
agencies, especially Indian RAW are sending logistic support to Baloch
separatist elements and TTP insurgents in Pakistan. In the past years,
particularly TTP’s militants and its affiliated banned groups conducted many
terror-activities in various regions of the country as part of the scheme to
create chaotic situation in the country. RAW also used TTP terrorists in
relation to the attack at the Peshawar School.
In that backdrop, there
arose the need of immediate execution of outstanding cases of death penalty to
terrorists. In this respect, ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif revoked the ban on
capital punishment in terrorism cases. The nation also expected that
politicians should show no politics on the blood of innocent children. For the
purpose, leaders of all the top political parties including PTI Chief Imran
Khan attended a meeting of the parliamentary parties convened by Prime Minister
Sharif after the deadly attack at a school in Peshawar. Setting aside his
differences, Imran Khan ended PTI’s 126-day sit-in at Islamabad to give a clear
message that the whole nation stands united against terrorism. However, all the
leaders unanimously decided to form a parliamentary committee to chalk out a
“Plan of Action” in seven days which would be approved by the political and
military leadership. In this connection, on January 2, 2015, besides the chiefs
of almost all the political parties and military top officials agreed on a
draft of legislative measures which paved the way for establishment of special
military trial courts. It was unanimously agreed that the 20 points National
Action Plan (NAP) enunciated in the All Parties Conference (APC) Resolution of
December 24, 2014 was being acted upon—the bill as 22nd (Constitutional)
Amendment was enforced soon after its approval from the parliament. Special
military courts were established and the ruthless terrorists facing death penalty
had been hanged.
In this regard, the
role of the Armed Forces is appreciating in uprooting the terrorists from their
so-called safe havens. But, inability and evident reluctance on the part of
political leadership remained a major contributing factor affecting the
implementation of NAP in its true spirit. In this respect, in January 2015,
apex committees were formed to expedite the implementation of the NAP. 15
committees and sub-committees were set up; however, no plausible developments
were witnessed. Ironically, the inability on the part of the then government
was covered with mere verbal statements in relation to NAP implementation.
Unfortunately, during
the regime of P.M. Nawaz Sharif, a full-scaled activation of National
Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA) remained in limbo even after seven years of
its creation. Lack of allocation of resources for NACTA in the annual budget of
2014-2015, non framing of service rules for the authority etc. made NACTA a
real midsummer night dream. Interestingly, NACTA’s budget stands at Rs. 92
million a year of which Rs.63 million went into the salaries of the staff. What
kind of an effective role will be registered by the authority and who may be blamed
for such state of affairs also remained a question.
Focusing on Madrassa
reforms, the previous government had to come out with an authentic and final
figure about the number of Madrassas, existing in the country. Reforming their
syllabus and controlling their finances seemed a wishful thinking due to
non-implementation of the plan.
As regards the
performance of judiciary, over the past five years, estimated 14,115 persons in
terrorism-related cases were acquitted and 10,387 were granted bail, only about
one and half hundred hanged.
Notably, people of
Pakistan want the perpetrators to be punished and expect from their elected
representatives to ensure that justice and judicial reforms are not delayed.
Speedy trials in military courts ensured that justice is neither delayed nor
denied. Country is going through extraordinary circumstances and extraordinary
decisions are the need of the hour.
Military courts saw
execution of some very hardcore terrorists that helped to a great extent to
break their organizational network. Cases are disposed of in weeks and months
without long delays by the military courts as compared to civil courts. Delays
suits militants as our jails itself are considered safe havens for them. By
virtue of being a security institution, and fighting war against terrorism
itself, no other institution understands the convicts and charges against them
better than Army does. Army is well trained to hold military courts and
carryout trials as part of Pakistan Army Act-1952.
Previous governments
brought some reforms in improving police; prosecution, protection of witnesses
and certain judicial restructuring, however, certain major steps have not been
taken like it could not strengthen the civil legal system and judicial process
enough to deal with terrorism. Courts need to be fully protected to avert
danger of repercussions from such perilous elements and organizations. Life of
civil judicial persons/judges is undeniably in danger when dealing with
extremists. Hence, the decisions of the judges are likely to be influenced, at
times, in favour of accuse. Undoubtedly, military courts lessen the pressure
and risk factor on the lives of civil judicial elements.
At a number of
occasions, terrorists who were involved in serious crimes and convicted by
military courts were acquitted by different civil courts. Setting them free
means, those terrorists can easily flee. One needs to reckon the efforts with
which such dangerous elements are grabbed and tried in military courts.
Therefore, a constitutional amendment also requires in this regard.
Many military
operation and war in history failed in the culminating stage or post-conflict
phase due to the inability of the politico-economic tool to take over and
establish the political writ of the state.
Since ill-gotten
money provides oxygen to the terrorist networks and other mafias working
against the interest of the state, it appears that the previous civilian
leaders and lack political will to block the supply of illicit money to the
terrorist networks, despite the fact that no government can defeat terrorism
without plugging the illicit money to the terror networks. During the previous
government, in all the provinces, there were strong politicians, government
cronies who had become ‘untouchables’ for anti-graft drive. It became a
challenge for the ex-prime minister to allow the state institutions to bring
all corrupt to book whether they belong to the ruling party or to the
opposition.
Some former federal
ministries were taking steps in the right direction, but the pace was quite
slow. Interior ministry’s prepared rules and regulations for International
Non-governmental Organizations (INGOs), local NGOs, policy draft over arms
licenses etc. remained non-implemented. Civil society had been raising concerns
over the slow pace of implementation and narrow scope of the Plan’s progress. Now, P.M Imran Khan’s government’s moves such
as anti-corruption drive, registration of the NGOs etc. are good developments
to eliminate terrorism from the country.
Lamentably, the
extremist organizations, their sympathizers and supporters are still finding time
and opportunities to mischievously target Law Enforcing Agencies and people of
Pakistan. Ironically, after TTP, a newer and more formidable menace in shape of
ISIS is raising its head in the region. Recent terror attacks by these outfits
in various regions of Pakistan, especially in the Balochistan province might be
cited as example.
In this connection, realizing
the task to fully implement the NAP and to supplement the gains of the military
operations Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad, the present government is taking
steps. But, still some political entities are creating controversy about the
NAP which is essential part of Pakistan’s war against terrorism, as it has
co-relationship with the military operations Zarb-i-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad which
have broken the backbone of the militants. In order to conceal their
corruption, they are criticizing the NAP.
These hostile
entities should know that corruption is the essence of terrorism. Therefore,
people want that this menace must be eliminated from the country as part of
overall war against terrorism.
Addressing the participants on the event of
commemorating the Defence Day, Pakistan’s Army Chief General Qamar
Javed Bajwa said on September 6, 2017, “Pakistan
has done enough in’ the war on terror and now it is time for the world to do
more…Pakistan has made numerous sacrifices fighting terrorism but today the
country is being accused of not doing enough to eradicate the menace.” On
September 6, 2018, he ensured to root out extremism and terrorism once and for
all.
Nevertheless, in
order to dismantle the terror-financing networks, elimination of corruption is
an important part of Pakistan’s National Action Plan, devised to counter
extremism in the country following the Peshawar school massacre of children.
Similarly, reforming the religious seminaries is also its key part.
Threat of hybrid war
will continue to loom large on Pakistan’s horizon, if the key pillars of state cannot
work in synchronized. Our fault lines of provincialism, sectarianism, ethnicity
and gap between the haves and have-nots are real and only a unifying regimen
and political dispensation accommodating all stakeholders can make us walk
through this minefield of challenges.
As a matter of fact, operation
Radd-ul-Fasaad is the unifying factor in this hybrid war and developing the
contours of a politico-economic and legal dispensation are essential for the
success of this operation.
All pillars of
national power, the executive (civil-military), legislature, judiciary and the
media, have to work in synchronized to achieve the ends of the policy of war
against terror. Now, when the Pakistani civil-military leadership has been able
to achieve consensus on operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, we cannot fritter away the
fruits of our labor and the sacrifices, rendered by thousands of soldiers and
almost a 70,000 civilians.
In these terms, military
courts have been instrumental in helping the state in providing a legal backup
to military operations, their efficacy is well established. Military courts are
not something unique to Pakistan; all states use such legal framework in
emergencies.
Nonetheless, tragic
memory of the Peshawar School Attack will remain fresh in the minds of people,
as mass murder of children is a manifestation of the most barbaric face of the
Taliban insurgency led by TTP.
Sajjad Shaukat writes
on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants,
Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations
Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
