Strasbourg, 15/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - In adopting a resolution on Thursday 15 January, the European Parliament strongly condemned “the brutal massacre of schoolchildren” by Pakistani Taliban splinter group Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) in Peshawar on 16 December (see EUROPE 11220), describing it as “an act of horror and cowardice”. Parliament says that it expects the Government of Pakistan to take urgent and effective measures, in keeping with internationally recognised standards of the rule of law, to address the threat posed by terrorism and religious extremism. “The government should show significantly stronger determination and strengthen its efforts to arrest and prosecute TTP militants and others who target schools for violence”, say MEPs, adding that the government must ensure the safety of schools. Parliament also calls on the Pakistani government to reserve anti-terrorism laws for acts of terror, “instead of using them to try ordinary criminal cases” and strongly regrets the recourse to “fast-track” military justice. (CG)