Sikh Organizations Condemn Reprehensible Peshawar School Shooting

PESHAWAR, Pakistan—141 people, 132 of them children, were killed by militants from the Pakistani Taliban in an army-run school.

Scores of survivors are being treated in hospitals as many parents and families conduct funerals for their loved ones.

The school attack has been widely condemned by Sikh organizations around the globe.

World Sikh Organization of Canada said, “This massacre was an unspeakable atrocity that, because of it’s magnitude, extends beyond nationality or faith.  We all mourn together as humans and wonder how the perpetrators came to lose all sense of humanity and compassion.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the innocent school children who were lost.  Truly an incomprehensible tragedy.”

 

The Sikh Federation (UK) have said:

 

It is easy to issue a statement condemning the killing of innocent children, especially when you see imagesshowing the brutality of the attack, with pools of blood on the ground and walls covered in pockmarks from hundreds of bullets. Even theAfghan Taliban have issued a statement condemning the attackas no one can defend the gunmen who walked from class to class indiscriminately shooting students and teachers.’ 

‘However, what is far more difficult it to get to the bottom of is why the attack took place, who knew about the attack in advance and could have prevented it and who may have assisted.’

‘Hundreds of Taliban fighters are thought to have been killed in the recent Pakistan army offensive in the Khyber area and North Waziristan, regions close to the Afghan border and this may explain, although not justify why gunmen targeted a military-run school.’ 

‘It is also almost certainly the case that various foreign intelligence agencies would have had some advance information about the planned attack and had they been willing to share information with the authorities in Pakistan on the possible killing of innocent children the attack may have been prevented.’ 

‘The sad reality is foreign intelligence agencies often do not believe they can share such information because of the secretive way they operate.  Worse they are sometimes subsequently found to have directly or indirectly supported such attacks by providing training or other forms of assistance.’

‘Conspiracy theories blaming the attacks on India have started.  Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has blamed India for the dastardly attack on the school.  He has told media he is sure the Indian intelligence agency, RAW is supporting Maulana Fazlullah, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan commander who is believed to have masterminded the attack.’