LAHORE, Pakistan — Altaf Hussain will never forget his 6-year-old daughter's first day of school on Dec. 16, 2014. Seven Taliban gunman attacked the Peshawar Army Public School in Pakistan's unruly north, and killed the girl and 131 classmates. "Who knew that my daughter Khaula's first day at school will be her last day?" he lamented.
A year later, grief lingers over the loss of at least 141 people along with outrage over the Pakistani government's failure to curb terrorist rampages that continue to plague the region. The country closed schools nationwide Wednesday as part of a national day of mourning as well as a safeguard against possible attacks to mark the anniversary.
