Countries should rise above individual biases to fight terrorism: Abdul Basit

New Delhi: Asserting that terrorism has no religion and faith, Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Wednesday said it was a global phenomenon which could not be defeated through half-baked strategies and countries should transcend individual and collective biases to fight it.

Speaking at an event to mark the first anniversary of the attack in Peshawar, he said the international community must understand his country's pain as it hurts when Pakistan is painted by some with closed eyes. No other country has suffered so much from violent extremism than Pakistan, he added.

Seven gunmen affiliated to the Tehrik-i-Taliban attacked the Army Public School in Peshawar killing at least 148 on this day, last year.

"Terrorism is a global, regional, national and local phenomenon; it could not be defeated through half-baked and incoherent strategies. We must transcend our individual and collective biases to eliminate terrorism and ensure that this menace does not resurface anywhere in the world," Basit said, emphasising that terrorism has no religion and no faith.

"It is up against our civilisation and creating anarchy and disorder. No country, however preponderant, can be complacent when it comes to terrorism. We will triumph over it only if we fight together," the Pakistan envoy was quoted as saying in a press release by the High Commission.

Terming the Peshawar attack as a "defining moment", Basit said the people of Pakistan would never let the sacrifices made by the young children go waste. "We are resolved to eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Terrorism targets innocent civilians; therefore it cannot be justified whatsoever. We have no option but to fight it to the end," he said, adding "terrorists are destined to go to hell whatever their faith and religion." During the ceremony, one minute silence was observed by the participants and candles were lit in the memory of the victims.