The Bacha Khan University reopened today, less than a month after 21 students and teachers were killed in a Taliban attack. Pakistanis once again stood tall against terrorism, but the opening was accompanied by many changes in the school’s security system.
@tez_palmer Terrorists attacks at University in Peshawar,open fire on students & teachers.#SayNoToTerroism.Prayers. pic.twitter.com/dD0N2f3pVU
— Rahul kumar (@rahulbansiwal08) January 20, 2016
Chief among these changes is something intangible: everyone must be aware of the possibility of another attack. Hundreds of police guards lined up along the school's borders (a temporary measure), and university officials told teachers that they could carry concealed weapons. Teachers are not allowed to display their weapons in the classroom, and they must also have a license for their weapon.
Before students could even enter the facility, they had to go through body scanners and be frisked.
Female police commandos posted at Bacha Khan Universityhttps://t.co/QXEfZ25vUvpic.twitter.com/AiZcQFuxOT
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) February 16, 2016
Yes, the town of Charsadda will not bow down to terrorists, but they will prepare accordingly for the threat of another attack. The police and commandos that line the rooftops of Bacha Khan University are the clearest sign of this.
Education represents everything the Taliban is against. The foundation that education gives its students--rational thinking, analytical, mechanical and social skills--pose a threat to the Taliban’s existence. The idea that women should be educated alongside of men is particularly vexing to them.
This is not the first time that the Taliban has massacred students. In December 2014, they attacked a school in Peshawar and killed more than 140 people, mostly children. What resulted was an outpouring of worldwide support for the people of Peshawar.
As we reflect on the attacks at Bacha Khan Uni, I share an article I wrote after the Peshawar School massacre.https://t.co/1LTmTVZHgW
— Dr Musharraf Hussain (@DrMusharrafH) January 21, 2016
'We won't be scared': #BachaKhanUniversity reopens 25 days after attack https://t.co/oiqWr4Kx8bpic.twitter.com/2FBsE9efpg
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) February 15, 2016
Pakistan has transformed following these attacks, especially after the devastation carried out in Peshawar. The Prime Minister made a vow to his country that there would no longer be “a distinction between good and bad Taliban.” In the past, the country has been accused of tolerating the Taliban. The latest security measures suggest that a new chapter of anti-terrorism has begun. As the country moves to crack down, protecting everyone's right to education must remain the primary goal.