As more information comes in, it has been established that most of the terrorists who attacked the Bacha Khan International Airport, Peshawar, the Pakistani city bordering Afghanistan,a were foreigners, one was confirmed from the Russian republic of Dagestan and others are believed to be from Uzbekistan. As DG ISPR Maj-Gen Asim Bajwa confirmed, tattoos on terrorists’ bodies were one such evidence. The attack was conducted on the night before Dec 16, the fateful day of Pakistan’s history. This incident followed by the attack on a US school where over 25 school kids were killed by an American citizen. The attack was similar to those attacks which the Afghan Taliban conducted in or around Kabul. The logistics indicated that the terrorists had come well prepared to occupy the Peshawar airport, but questions remain as to what was their real motive, why the foreigners and how huge was their backup plan?
Obviously, the terrorists can use an airport with a number of aircraft standing there to fulfil their very serious designs. Hats are off for our security forces personnel, the PAF, ASF and Peshawar Police who did wonderful job and thwarted the enemies’ design. As the DG ISPR said, this leads us to learn more lessons and review afresh the security mechanism and further tighten it. Had this been a success on part of terrorists, this could have led to a big humiliation on the day of “Fall of Dhaka”. The enemy’s plans have so far been failed, thanks to the great valour and sacrifices of our soldiers and officers, policemen and officers, citizens and media persons. The enemy design will fail in future as well, provided we join hands together against this menace of tremendous intensity.
ALYA ALVI
Rawalpindi
