December 17, 2014

Yesterday, militants from the Pakistani Taliban attacked an army-run school in Peshawar, barbarically killing 148 people, 132 of them innocent children. This massacre is a stain in our world’s history and we express our unabridged condolences and solidarity with the families that lost their loved ones in this senseless act of terrorism.

Islam promotes the fact that all human life is sacred and we are reminded by the Quranic verse that says, “If anyone killed a person, it would be as if he killed the whole of mankind; and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole of mankind” (5:32).

This continuous suffering needs immediate attention from us and underscores why MPAC is involved in countering violent extremism to help save lives and to save our future. The destruction of Muslim countries has become a daily occurrence, whether it is a result of drones, bombings or terrorist attacks. Incidents similar to what we witnessed in Peshawar highlights why it’s imperative that we continue to work towards countering violent extremism.

One of the various ways MPAC is countering violent extremism is through our Safe Spaces Initiative, which amplifies our voices on this issue and helps us take tangible steps towards eradicating this cancer from our society.