Naidu condemns attack in Pakistan, says terrorism is mankind's enemy

Strongly condemning the barbaric killing of innocent school children in Pakistan, Union Urban Development and Housing and Poverty Alleviation Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu described terrorism as the enemy of mankind and urged all to work together to fight the menace.

Naidu said that terrorism affects progress and development, and added that poor, women and children are its worst victims. He said there may be differences in ideology but using gun is not the solution.

Naidu, who inaugurated the Regional policy Dialogue on Sustainable Urbanization in South Asia here today, conveyed his heart felt sympathies for the families of the victims and prayed for earlier recovery of the injured.

A two-minute silence was also observed to mourn the incident.

India has offered all possible help to Pakistan in the wake of yesterday's massacre in the Army-run school in Peshawar. 141 people including 132 students and 9 staff members of a school were killed in a terror attack.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif over telephone late last evening and strongly condemned the brutal terrorist attack. The Prime Minister said the people of India shared the heart-rending pain and sorrow of the bereaved families and stood with them in solidarity in this hour of immeasurable grief.

He told Prime Minister Sharif that this moment of shared pain and mourning is also a call for our two countries and all those who believe in humanity to join hands to decisively and comprehensively defeat terrorism, so that the children in Pakistan, India and elsewhere do not have to face a future darkened by the lengthening shadow of terrorism.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban has claimed the responsibility for the attack. The Taliban spokesman said that it was a revenge for the military's operation against militants in the North Waziristan tribal area.