Children pray at their school in Shimla in memory of Pakistani schoolchildren who were killed by Taliban (Agence France-Presse photo)
In a phone call to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the killing of 132 children at their school in Peshawar as a tragedy that has "shaken the conscience of the world." (
Read full statement here)
Yesterday, gunmen from the Pakistani Taliban stormed an army-run school, unleashing a deadly and ruthless attack on students, some of whom described hiding under desks and chairs while watching their classmates being shot dead. (
Taliban Attack in Pakistan: Follow Our Live Coverage)
Mr Modi told the Pakistani premier in his call on Tuesday night 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." At Mr Modi's request, schools all over India observed a two-minute silence this morning and held special prayers to remember the young victims of the ghastly terror attack in Peshawar. (
After PM Modi's Appeal, 2-Minute Silence in Schools for Pak Victims)
India has repeatedly urged Pakistan to rein in militant groups operating on its soil.
After cross-border violence peaked in Kashmir, Mr Modi and Mr Sharif shared cold vibes at last month's meeting of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation or SAARC leaders in Nepal. A slight thaw seemed to come as the summit wound up at a mountain retreat where the two leaders shook hands. At a photo-op that wound up the conference, PM Modi was seen smiling and chatting with Mr Sharif.