The Pakistan PeopleÂ’s Party (PPP) expressed shock on Wednesday over the slaughter of 15 soldiers by militants in North Waziristan.| "Shocked to our foundations, sez we. And during holy Ramadan, no less!" |
The latest attack on the military men followed a series of attacks launched against the army that has been engaged in a battle, for four years now, with tribal militants, mostly Taliban. The slain soldiers were reportedly severely tortured before being killed, while one was beheaded.
‘Shocking beyond words’: “This is shocking beyond words,” said Sherry Rehman, the party’s central information secretary. “We always knew the militants were capable of going to any lengths against the army and the civilians, and the merciless slaughter of the army men confirms our worst fears. This kind of brutality is not countenanced by our state, culture and our religion.”
| It's pretty common, but not countenanced... |
Rehman noted with concern the series of setbacks suffered by the military in the wake of fresh assaults launched on the country’s army by the militants, both inside and outside the tribal areas. “It is most disturbing that the Pakistan army, considered to be the best in the world, is under intensive attacks and is being pushed to the corner by militants,” she added.
Rehman pointed out that ever since the onset of such attacks that defy the writ of the state, the PPP had been calling for a political as well as security commitment to the cause. “There is just no other option. Every civilian and military life is precious,” she added. She also said that there was no question of having any second thoughts about the need to eliminate the elements at the root of such terrorist activities, as any leniency towards them was bound to cost the country.
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