Nawaz Sharif vows to rid region of terror, announces plan of action

Peshawar, Dec 17: Shaken by the Taliban terror attack in which 148 people, including 132 school children, were killed here on Tuesday, Pakistan today 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.

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." His statement came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to Sharif during which he said that India and Pakistan should join hands to comprehensively defeat terrorism.

Meanwhile, Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif today 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: Entire region should be cleaned of terrorism

Sharif, who chaired an All Party Conference here in the wake of the massacre at the Army Public School, said, "Today's conference has decided to draft an action against terrorists and act upon it immediately."

Addressing the media, Sharif flanked by Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (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.

Member of armed forces, intelligence and political parties will be a part of the committee.

PTI