Charsadda Attack in Response to Pathankot Attack

By Zaheerul Hassan
Early morning of 20 January, 2016 four gunmen entered in the university and sprayed bullets on the innocent students who were busy in taking their breakfasts while sitting in their rooms of the boys’ hostel and canteen. The attackers were wearing suicide vests but were killed by security forces’ before they could detonate their explosives. They also opened fire on the students and faculty members as they gathered at the school for a poetry recital to commemorate the death anniversary of the activist and leader whom the school is named after.
18 students, two members of the staff including one young assistant professor embraced Shahdat and more than 50 students suffered severe injuries in this attack. Security elements present in the university immediately responded and contained the attackers. Later on Army Quick Response Forces comprising SSG soldiers reached on the scene and eliminated the contained terrorists and clear the university within 50 minutes.
Director General Inter Services Public Relations, Lieutenant General Asim Salim Bajwa while addressing a press conference strongly condemned the cowardice act of the terrorists. He expressed that the terrorists were fully equipped with latest weapons, hand grenades and were also in possession of cellar phones having numbers 0093774262593 and 0093774022167. During the attack, the terrorists were continuously receiving instructions from the operators handling the operation from Afghan territory.
A day earlier, 12 people have been killed in another terrorist attack in Karkhana Bazar (Shopping Centre). Attacking Bacha Khan University is the second educational institution that was attacked after 11 months by the terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkha Province. It mentionable here that 140 children including staff members were killed when on 16 December terrorists attacked Army Public School Peshawar cantt . Although, Threk-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) accepted the responsibility of the attack but tracing out of telephone calls exposed the real controller and mastermind behind University attack. The commander of attacking terrorist’s group was the closest comrade of Ameer TTP Mulla Fazlullah. He planned, launched and controlled the attack from Afghanistan.
According to reliable sources call data of phones reveal that Rupees 30 lacks have been paid to Taliban Commander by the Indian consulates located at Kabul.
Notably, on 17 January 2016, after Pathankot attack, Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said “those who attacked us will also feel the same pain, the place and type of response would be of our choice.” He alleged Pakistani based terrorist groups Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) and it’s Chief Moulana Masood Azhar. He further stated that “world would see the results in the next one year.” Thus, ongoing blast wave is correct interpretation of Indian Defence Minister’s threat to Pakistan .
However, Pakistan shown positive response and took JeM Chief into protective custody, and countrywide close downed the office of JeM. But on the other hand, Indian Intelligence agency RAW supported by Afghan intelligence Agency hit innocent students of Bacha Khan University of Charsadda.
Political and military elite strongly condemned the terrorists’ attacks and demanded to take stern actions against the terrorists and their facilitators. In this regard, Islamabad should provide the available actionable evidences to Indians’ and Afghanistan’s intelligence agencies, connections in militancy against Pakistan. Pakistani rulers should show courage and ask Afghan and Indian governments to stop fomenting terrorism. Lastly, steps should be taken to enhance local security of educational and sensitive installations and immediate fencing of international border with Afghanistan. Moreover, implementation on national action plan be carryout in true letter and spirit.
The writer can approached through zameer36@gmail.com