LONDON, UK—Representatives of the Sikh Federation (UK) today visited the Pakistan High Commission in London to sign the condolence book.
The following message from the Sikh Federation (UK) was inserted:
“A cowardly act that should be condemned by all decent human beings. The perpetrators and those supporting them from abroad must be brought to justice. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and injured.”
The condolence book has now been closed and was open at the Pakistan High Commission in London for the last three days.
The representatives of the Sikh Federation (UK) met the Deputy High Commissioner Muhammad Imran Mirza who expressed his appreciation for the gesture and then they held a meeting with the Commercial Counsellor Ijlal Ahmed Khattak and other staff.
Yesterday the Sikh Federation (UK) issued the following statement to the media about the attack in Peshawar:
It is easy to issue a statement condemning the killing of innocent children, especially when you see images showing the brutality of the attack, with pools of blood on the ground and walls covered in pockmarks from hundreds of bullets. Even the Afghan Taliban have issued a statement condemning the attack as 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.
