By Ahsan Mughal
KARACHI: Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Chairman of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan and Federal Minister for Education, issued a statement from Bahadurabad marking the historical significance of 16 December. He highlighted two tragic events: the fall of Dhaka in 1971 and the 2014 Army Public School (APS) Peshawar attack.
Dr. Siddiqui noted that 16 December 1971 witnessed the breakup of Pakistan, a nation born from the tireless struggle of subcontinental Muslims, due to political marginalisation. He also recalled the APS Peshawar attack on 16 December 2014, in which over 200 students and teachers lost their lives in a brutal act of terrorism that shook the nation.
He stressed that these tragedies serve as a reminder of the urgent need for internal stability and political consensus. “We must strengthen democratic institutions and implement the National Action Plan in both spirit and letter to eliminate terrorism,” he said. Dr. Siddiqui urged Pakistan’s political leadership to adopt a unified stance against extremism, ensuring that institutions act decisively to eliminate political and social inequalities, fostering a society rooted in tolerance and mutual respect.
Concluding his statement, he offered prayers for the forgiveness and elevated ranks of those who were martyred in the 1971 Dhaka tragedy and the APS Peshawar attack, urging the nation to learn lessons from history to build a stronger, more resilient Pakistan.
