Pakistan school attack: Nawaz Sharif vows 'plan of action' in 7 days

Bullet holes

Peshawar: Shaken by the Taliban terror attack in which 148 people, including 132 schoolchildren, were killed, Pakistan yesterday pledged to announce a "national plan" to tackle terrorism within a week with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif saying "this entire region" should be cleaned of terrorism. Even as a grieving nation began a 3-day mourning for the dead in the worst terror attack in its history, Sharif and leaders of all other parties set aside their bitter differences and met here to discuss the situation.

Bullet holes are seen on the wall at the army-run school in Peshawar a day after the attack by Taliban militants on Tuesday. Pakistan began three days of mourning yesterday for the 148 people, including 132 schoolchildren, killed by the Taliban in the country's deadliest ever terror attack as the world united in a chorus of revulsion.

Afterwards, Sharif said all political parties have decided to draft a national action plan against terrorists and act upon it immediately. "We announce that there will be no differentiation between ‘good' and ‘bad' Taliban and have resolved to continue the war against terrorism till the last terrorist is eliminated," he said, adding "the fight against terrorism is our fight and to counter it, a holistic roadmap is needed". Earlier, Sharif said not only Pakistan and Afghanistan but "indeed this entire region should be cleaned of terrorism."

A textbook lies on a carpet at the school. The insurgents had systematically gone from room to room, shooting children during the eight-hour killing spree. Pics/AFP

Hunt for Taliban
Meanwhile, Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif yesterday dashed to Afghanistan to seek extradition of Taliban leader Mullah Fazlluah, whose group claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on an army school in Peshawar.

Sharif, flanked by Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah and PTI chairman Imran Khan, condemned the attack terming it as worst attack in Pakistan's history. "This heinous incident is an example of the barbarism whose example cannot be found in the history," he said.

"We have all unanimously decided that a committee comprising of all parliamentary parties under Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar will prepare a plan of action which will be submitted to national leadership within seven days," the Prime Minister, who had rushed here following the attack, said.