Another December 16, another black day
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Over 100, including 84 children, were killed when terrorists took hundreds of students and teachers hostage on Tuesday in the Army Public School in the city of Peshawar. The attack was claimed by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
This deadly and tragic incident has once again raised questions on the state of security and maintenance of law and order in the country.
Attacking Army Public School is believed to be a reaction to the army's ongoing Operation Zarb-i-Azb in the country's tribal areas which is aimed at wiping out terrorists and their sanctuaries.
Here's how politicians and journalists reacted to the attack:
Questions over security and state of law enforcement
Although Operation Zarb-i-Azb is under way to rid the country of terrorists, the latest attack raises questions on the state of preparedness of law enforcement agencies to deal with what is being regarded as a blowback from the ongoing offensive in North Waziristan.
Senior journalist Talat Hussain lamented the security situation, saying terrorists appear to have no difficulties in attacking anyone, anywhere.
Appeals for unity
Calls are being made not to use the tragedy for politicking and that it was time for everyone to stand together and put aside differences.
Author Bina Shah has implored political stakeholders to keep score-settling at a distance.
Calls for continuing Zarb-i-Azb
With the latest attack, there are calls for continuing with Zarb-i-Azb. Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Dr Tahirul Qadri and Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Sumeta Syed have in their reactions to the attack in Peshawar said that the operation should not be stopped until its aims are accomplished.
Terrorism in the name of religion condemnable
More condemnations of the attack have come from politicians saying using religion for attacking defenceless children was condemnable and a brutal and inhumane thing to do.
Jamaat-i-Islami's Karachi Emir Naeemur Rehman condemned the attack on behalf of his party.
International condemnation
British Prime Minister David Cameron has condemned the attack and expressed deep shock at the tragedy.
Indian premier Narendra Modi calls the attack on Army Public School, senseless, unspeakable brutality.
Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh says the attack, one of the bloodiest in Pakistan in recent years, exposes the “real face of terrorism”.
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On DawnNews
Dec 16, 2014 03:39pm
OMG,what did these little children do?very bad.
Atleast pakistan should understand now that there is no good and bad terroists.You are doing same in kashmir and same way it is haunting back.
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Dec 16, 2014 03:44pm
My thoughts and sympathies are with the children, soldiers of Pakistan Army, and their beloved ones. May God help them to overcome this deep loss. All peace-loving Pakistanis should stand united behind Pakistan Army and support the brave soldiers and officers of Pakistan Army.
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Dec 16, 2014 03:50pm
Now for God sake dont discriminate Terrorists as good terrorists and bad terrorists. Please give them equal right of having brutal death. Kill them all equally.
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Dec 16, 2014 04:06pm
Nobody in India is saying that Pakistan has staged this attack.
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Dec 16, 2014 04:06pm
Zarb E Zab operations against Taliban, proves it has been ineffective. This attack on Peshawar army school, by TTP, is for the collateral damage, Pakistan army has been doing in North Wazirstan and FATA areas. PM Nawaz Sharif must resign, time for him to go.
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Dec 16, 2014 04:08pm
My sorrows and grief are with the parents who lost their loved ones. Its time to wake up more aggressively, against the TTP.
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Dec 16, 2014 04:12pm
Pakistan should punish 1971 war criminals. 1971 is the origin of its almost every current misfortune.
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Dec 16, 2014 04:23pm
When will we Pakistanis get some common sense.
When we preach hate for all, this is what we get.
Start thinking, for the sake of our innocent children.
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Dec 16, 2014 04:24pm
Horrible. Pakistan Army should avoid casualties to Non combatants in their operation against insurgents. Because it can prove most fertile ground for growth of new variety of insurgents not bases upon religion but on extreme hatred towards establishment. A self destructive vicious cycle seems to working for Pakistan. Bring these people back to mainstream otherwise country is doomed .................
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Dec 16, 2014 04:25pm
Deeply shocked and depressed at this cowardly act. My heart goes out to the children and their families. Prayers from India.
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Dec 16, 2014 04:26pm
I dont even know what to say. This is pakistan, the land of my ancestors. What has become of it....what a tragedy!
What sickness stalks this land...and why. May be God knows. I can only pray and hope.
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Dec 16, 2014 04:28pm
I am speechless with horror. What kind of animals are these, who kill young children? My prayers are with the families of those who were killed. This is such a huge tragedy that I am unable to find words to express my grief and anger. TTP - NOTHING BUT ANIMALS.
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Dec 16, 2014 04:30pm
shamefull ruthless and barbarous attack by TTP They are heartless and world should start a ruthless campaign against these terrorist Because some time hard step is necessary where humanity doesn't work
Terrorists should not be spared. Terrorism should be removed
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Dec 16, 2014 04:33pm
For God sake we should all unite and act as a fully committed nation to wipe out the terrorism now and for ever.It is about time the politicians and the religious scholars remove their differences and play a positive role for the survival of Pakistan .May God be merciful to us , ammeen .
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Dec 16, 2014 04:40pm
Pakistan & its establishment has to take this seriously & need to introspect. There is no good terrorist vs bad terrorist. Terrorist are animals like snake, they will bite you anytime. Stop these forever from Pakistani soil.
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Dec 16, 2014 04:48pm
Heartwrenching news. Why in the name of religion one has to support the wrong ? Enough of this nonsense.
Pakistan still has some good souls who have not been sold out.
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Dec 16, 2014 04:50pm
It is very sad... Especially attack on children. Terrorists have no religion... no country they only know to kill innocent peoples. My deepest condolences to all families.
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Dec 16, 2014 04:56pm
Mr,David Cameron, they are not being punished for going to school but its the price Pakistan is paying for being allied to US.
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Dec 16, 2014 04:57pm
Who are these people.....These Perpetrators............certainly not Human Beings........certainly not Muslims...........Terrible tragedy .........heart goes out to those innocent victims and their Families..........Words to express grief fail me..........Tears in my eyes while I am writing out my Condolences........May god take care of these innocents who had just begun their lives
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Dec 16, 2014 05:07pm
Does anyone know if there is a protest in Karachi? My heart bleeds, Enough standing by and letting this happen. How many children have died, really? What about the other schools? In total just this year - how many? Tell the truth! I won't stand this any longer.
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Dec 16, 2014 05:09pm
@Sunil No, this may mean it has been effective. The cowards are scared and like any bully they go after our weakest.
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Dec 16, 2014 05:27pm
Shameful act. Pray that there be peace. I lost my child 12 years ago and I am still grieving- now what to say when something like this happens and several children are killed.
Religion should be kept inside the house and not on the street.
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Dec 16, 2014 05:45pm
As I tweeted earlier - I am ashamed to be alive despite this inhuman act! No, no politics at this juncture. I am also a father and extend my heartiest support to all the fathers whose kids are there in the Army School, Peshawar at the moment.
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Dec 16, 2014 05:52pm
Hundreds of families are mourning and our politicians are busy in blaming and backbiting each other. Let pray for these poor souls. Also the trauma and fear faced by these will haunt them through out there life and they need to be counseled. Nobody can stop terrorist attacks until we are fully and ever-vigilante. Next time keep your eyes open.
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Dec 16, 2014 06:05pm
TTP is enemy of Pakistan. Mullah Fazalur Rehman has to come out and condemn this attack and side with Pakistan otherwise he should be declared an enemy of Pakistan.
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Dec 16, 2014 06:07pm
Sad. May god give the courage to the parents who have lost their dear ones. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the people of Pakistan
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Dec 16, 2014 06:28pm
Most shocking terrorist incident. Innocent children killed and maimed. And why? For what reason? Is this the ideology that the people of Pakistan want? Our deepest condolences to the families of the dead and injured school children, teachers and security personnel. May they rest in peace. And let there be peace in the country.
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Dec 16, 2014 06:51pm
Can't believe what I am watching on TV and news ..ohh my God ...heart goes to the victims and their family members ..am so sorry ..ohh poor children ..God bless your soul!
I hope Indian security establishment remains vigilant and prevent our country from such depression ..its really heart breaking..How can human beings kill children?? ..It proves terrorists are not humans at all.. How can they believe God is permitting them to do such crimes? ..it cannot be God's work but Devils!
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Dec 16, 2014 06:52pm
Knowing Peshawar to be a turbulent region could any precaution have been taken to prevent it ? This is a tragedy which will shake the entire world. Children are loved and in Asian societies we love them as nowhere else in the world is what an English woman had told a gathering in India many years ago.
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Dec 16, 2014 07:09pm
While we kill scores of Taliban terrorists every day in air strikes,every day hundreds are being born .
The solution ;education,education ,education.
Stop wasting millions on atomic bombs,jet fighters and submarines,instead spend the same money on education.
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Dec 16, 2014 07:45pm
I'm wordless ... Because one of my relative "Usama" the student of 9th class is also Shaheed in this attack, my deep feelings of sorrow are of all affected families.
And now the government needs a strong action against all those militants and specially against their mastermind.
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Dec 16, 2014 07:53pm
Barbaric act...
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Dec 16, 2014 08:11pm
@Ajay vikram Singh
This sickness has come from S.Arabia.
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Dec 16, 2014 08:37pm
This is so sad, there are no words that can express it. If this incident cannot teach humans to stop hating, then I do not know what will.
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Dec 16, 2014 08:48pm
One of the darkest days of humanity. Killing one child is equal to killing a thousand adults, if not more. How can these non-humans be existing when they wantonly target children and use them as shields. And then post a comment justifying the attack.
Just a few days ago, Kailash Satyarthi along with Malala has argued strongly for the rights of children for education and respectful life. On the one hand there are people like them who strive their entire lives for seeing a light in the eyes of the children, and on the other hand there are "people" who have no qualms to put a bullet in a child's body and justifying the act.
Dear Pakistani friends, wake up before things go more dangerously out of control. Do not let the children's sacrifice go waste. Overturn the barbaric mindset of these people and their networks.
Now will those who perpetuate and encourage such acts sit and think where these demons' souls would go ? To heaven ?
Deepest condolences and prayers to the affected families and all the people of Pakistan.
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Dec 16, 2014 10:21pm
simply horrible...I have been saying this all along that limit religion to your home. religious fanaticism is the main source of misery what world is going through today.
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Dec 16, 2014 10:50pm
RIP little innocent souls
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Dec 17, 2014 12:09am
Pakistan the brave. Evil from within or without, will not deter us. Fi Amanullah.
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Dec 17, 2014 01:59am
@Gaurav Arya dude you are insulting animals.
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Dec 17, 2014 03:03am
Speechless....... My heart is crying like everyone....
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Dec 17, 2014 06:08am
Is there any religious party such as JI and JUI has condemned the attack or as usual call the dead Taliban as "martyrs". Time to take the mullahs of these parties out.
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Dec 17, 2014 07:16am
No time to win an argument or give sermons. Heartfelt condolences to the families and communities affected. Assurance to the government, we are behind you in whatever steps you take to stop the recurrence and bringing sense of security for our mothers, sisters, daughters, children and elderly. May God bless Pakistan peace and prosperity!
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Dec 17, 2014 08:17am
The beneficiary of Dec 1970 Was sheikh Mujeeb and the beneficiary of December16,2014, is Nawaz Sharif because the Pressure of Imran khan in Over for the time being . This is the ground Reality
l> Am
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Dec 17, 2014 08:41am
No religion preaches the butchering of fellow human beings., in the name of Allah,the most Beneficient,the most Merciful.
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Dec 17, 2014 09:26am
@Sundar Pakistan has suffered from a major tragedy . But that in no way means that you Indian trolls can say whatever you want and get away with it. If Indian base was attacked in Indian Held Kashmir then it is India's fault. Stop seeing Pakistan everywhere
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Dec 17, 2014 09:27am
@M. Emad Sure, let us start with the trial of Bhutto , Indra Gandhi and Mujeeb. Atleast these should be officially declared war criminals for 1971 !
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Dec 17, 2014 09:30am
@Joe Oh but they are saying that , although in not as many words.
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Dec 17, 2014 10:13am
why taliban who are in prison are not punished to death?
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Dec 17, 2014 10:18am
Strangely, i do not feel sorrow. I only feel anger. Anger at our inability to punish these beings, who even in the wildest and most outrageous of definitions, will not fall even in the category of animals. How i wish Pakistani army diverts all of their resources to finish these lowly animals. How i wish we had the opportunity to punish them while alive, apart from what god almighty must be already unleashing on them.
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Dec 17, 2014 10:21am
Even predators don't plunder so aimlessly.
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Dec 17, 2014 10:49am
its sad. This is war against humanity. Truth has died again. Its wake up call lets stand together aganist such brutual terrorist attack
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Dec 17, 2014 10:54am
@Sundar No matter what the tragedy you people do not refrain from your narrow minded hatred...shameful
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Dec 17, 2014 11:43am
Mostly these terrorists holding the gun are Muslims but every group you talk about you find historically atleast they were either created or supported by the US at one time or other....Western media also admits most of these links including IS recently..Who really is the mastermind behind these is not difficult to understand. In the process they destroy any muslim country they want and can demonise Islam at the same time...
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Dec 17, 2014 12:07pm
Really depressing, killing innocent childrens are inhumans. God help them plz. Wake up pakistani governments, realize the real terror and make your people safe from them . Indians and Pakistanis are always brothers and sisters.
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Dec 17, 2014 12:48pm
Feeling sorry for the terrorist attack & sympathies for those children.
but, I am in confusion because I can find your 'ANOTHER December 16'; would you please tell me which one is the OTHER ONE that you are addressing other black day?
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Dec 17, 2014 01:29pm
@Mahavir u r absolutely right.
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Dec 17, 2014 01:33pm
Matter of shame and ignominy. December 16, 2014 is one of the darkest days of modern world because killing of so many innocent school children has not yet been recorded in the history of modern world.
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Dec 17, 2014 02:28pm
This is a worst case of inhumanity and humanity is mourning most emphatically. Now let us review the curse of terrorists and work jointly for their complete annihilation.
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Dec 17, 2014 02:55pm
When i saw face of so innocent , so cute children splashed with blood, tears trickle out from eyes.
The society should now take on as no government or no military can do justice to these.
Society should inculcate into young minds that terrorism , in any form , is no good.
These will prevent these young buds becoming into monsters some of whom has created so many massacres , not only this peshwar.
Secondly economic upliftment is the answer to so many evils. An employed youth is far better than ideal devil
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Dec 17, 2014 03:05pm
I hope in a few days Pakistan as a nation does not go back to routine, like all tragedies with civilian casualties before. This time Pakistani people, the government, the military and lastly the ISI have to do introspection as to what they are doing wrong. I think they all know the answers as to what they have too do to fix this problem but are reluctant to do because of well known reasons. If Pakistani people want to get rid of this terrorism, they need to unite and push their government to act forcefully.
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Dec 17, 2014 03:24pm
@Sanaullah
@Sanaullah
you are Right. same question from me too.
which one is the other BLACk December 16 of Pakistan?
is it December 16, 1971?
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Dec 17, 2014 05:16pm
@M. Emad What about Terrorists ran away from jail in IK?
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Dec 17, 2014 06:25pm
@Joe...Not now AT LEAST, leave Indo Pak stuff aside plz
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Dec 17, 2014 07:00pm
Sad day again in Pakistan's history. Pakistan lost Bangladesh on 16 Dec 1971. 16 Dec 2014, and remaining Pakistan lost its future. Is there no one in Pakistan who understands history? If you do not learn, you are condemned to repeat it.
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Dec 17, 2014 07:12pm
Taleban are cowardly animals. Heart felt condolences to the families and all Pakistanis. Peace be with you.
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Dec 17, 2014 11:38pm
Heinous Crime.....
A crime against humanity...
My heart weeps for the fallen angels and their bereaved parents.
Pakistan, we Indians are with you in your sorrow......
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Dec 18, 2014 07:18am
16th December is certainly the blackest day for humanity... Heartfelt condolences for families and friends of the killed students
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Dec 18, 2014 07:28am
As an Australian let me say that your nation is in my thoughts and prayers at this time. People united in love and justice will overcome these terrible evils. My deepest condolences to the families affected by this terrible tragedy.
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Dec 18, 2014 08:39am
Where is Pak Home Minister..who is acted when the war criminal hanged...but fail to save the innocent faces, little students.
He should resign.
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Dec 18, 2014 05:49pm
@Sanaullah
Well bro the another "December16" refers to December 16, 1971, when General AAK Niazi along with about 93000 soldiers under his command made an unconditional surrender before Indian army's Lt Gen J S Aurora in Dacca, then East Pakistan after a 13 days war. As a result of which Bangladesh was born.
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Dec 18, 2014 06:46pm
:-(
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Dec 19, 2014 02:00pm
They shouldn't kill children which were going school they could fight with are armed forces
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Dec 20, 2014 08:32pm
zarb-e-azbshould go on until there is a single terrorist left
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