Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said we will not take backseat till we take terrorists and their facilitators to the task.

He said this after inquiring about the health of seminary students and other people at the Peshawar Lady Reading Hospital today, who got injured in a blast at the Peshawar based Madrassah.

General Bajwa said he came to express solidary and commitment, especially to share grief of the seminary students, teachers and their families. 

He said innocent children of Army Public School Peshawar were targeted on 16 December 2014 and on yesterday the enemy once again organized blood bath at the seminary students to again fulfill its nefarious designs and repeat the black history.

The Army Chief said majority of these children were of Afghan origin. He said in past, the entire nation had demonstrated unprecedented unity in rejecting terrorists’ narrative and today also we are one under same passion and sentiments. He said our grief was common yesterday and even today it is same. He said the nation had rejected the enemy and defeated terrorist narrative in past and we are united to face this menace jointly.   

The Army Chief said Pakistan and Afghanistan have been facing terrorism for last two decades. He said Pakistanis opened their hearts and doors for their refugee brethren. He said we have common bad and good times as peace in Pakistan and Afghanistan is interlinked. He said terrorism has no religion and spreading fear in society is the sole ideology of terrorists. He said attack on Madrassah reflects enmity with Islam. Madrassahs, mosques, Imam Bargahs, temples, churches, educational institutions, law enforcement agencies and innocent citizens became victims of terrorists.  He said Pakistan has always been desirous of peace in Afghanistan and will continue extending its cooperation in this regard. He urged Afghan refugees to remain watchful of forces of enemy so that they cannot be used either intentionally or unintentionally for terrorist activities.

The Army Chief also visited Upper Dir in Malakand Division, where he was briefed about stabilizing operations and border management.

Speaking on the occasion, he directed the troops to remain extra vigilant in wake of recent wave of terrorism. He appreciated the performance of troops on border fencing in rocky and difficult areas. He said security of frontiers and border management system indicates Pakistan’s resolve for peace. He said fence on Pak-Afghan border is a hedge of peace, erected to check illegal movement of terrorists on both sides of the line. He said both Pakistan and Afghanistan cannot afford any lawlessness and chaos in the prevailing situation as this can be disastrous for them. He said our hearts used to beat together and we are still conjoined with each other. He said we are striving to pass on a secure, stable and prosperous Pakistan to our future generations.