Sixth anniversary of APS tragedy marked

PESHAWAR: Several events were orgnaised on Wednesday across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to pay homage to the martyred students and teachers of the Army Public School.

One hundred and forty seven Students, teachers and staff were martyred in the terrorist attack on Army Public School in Peshawar on December 16, 2014.

In the provincial capital, a contingent of the army presented a salute to the memorial of martyrs early in the day. The main event was held at the Shuhada-e-APS Public library, which was attended by parents. The speakers on the occasion condemned the brutal act.

The district administration organized a ceremony at the District Council Hall to commemorate the anniversary of the carnage. Additional Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Shah, Additional Assistant Commissioner Inayatullah Khan, Assistant Superintendent of Police Muhammad Omar, Deputy Superintendent of Police Muhammad Shoaib, Maulana Tayyab Quareshi, Allama Abid Hussain Shakiri, Mufti Najeebullah Farooqi, Mufti Zafar Zaman Haqqani and people from different walks of life attended the ceremony.

The participants of the event remembered the martyred children and urged unity for the betterment of the country.

Another ceremony was arranged by the APS Shuhada Foundation and attended by parents of the martyred children, leaders of the Pashtun Tafuz Movement, including Manzoor Pashteen, MNAs Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar, Dr Said Alam, Sana Ejaz and others.

The speakers asked the government to provide justice to families of the martyred children. They said that protection of these children was the responsibility of the state and those responsible should have been held accountable. They lamented that the parents of martyred children were forced to remain silent. However, they vowed to continue the struggle till justice was served.

APS Shuhada Foundation leader Dr Zahoor Alam said that the parents rejected the commission report and demanded constitution of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to expose the culprits. He said that the Fazal Khan advocate who was one of the APS Shuhada Foundation leaders was forced to leave the country. However, he said the foundation would continue its efforts. Dr Zahoor Alam thanked the leadership of the PTM for raising voice for the APS victims at every forum.

Earlier, the officials locked the Public Library on the arrival of the PTM leadership for participation in the event.

The officials allowed the participants to start the event at the library when the PTM leaders and parents of martyred children staged a sit in outside the library. In September, the apex court had ordered the APS commission report public. The report was compiled after over almost 20 months by a commission presided by Justice Mohammad Ibrahim of the Peshawar High Court.

In Hazara division, the ceremonies were held in Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan, Kolai-Palas, Mansehra, Torghar, Abbottabad and Haripur districts to mark the sixth anniversary of the APS terrorist attack.

A seminar was organised at the deputy commissioner office in Lower Kohistan.

Speaking on occasion, Deputy Commissioner Khalid Khan, former MPA and leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Maulana Dildar and district Khateeb Maulana Kareemdad paid tribute to the students and their teachers who bravely stood against terrorists. “The attack on the APS was a turning point in the history of the country, which united the nation against terrorism,” Maulana Dildar said.

A seminar was organised by the civil society in Upper Kohistan where speakers including the Assistant Commissioner Faiz Ahmad Qureshi, a known religious scholar Maulana Abdul Aziz, Ghulam Sarwar and others paid glowing tribute to the martyrs.

A programme was also held in Kolai-Palas to mark the day. Deputy Commissioner Shahjehan Khan, Chairman, Dispute Resolution Council, Maulana Khadimullah and others addressed the gathering.

CHARSADDA: A ceremony was held to mark the 6th anniversary of the APS attack.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Adeel Shah said that December 16 is a black day in history. “Terrorism has no religion and we should all unite to eliminate thus scourge,” he added. Additional DC Hasbur Rehman, AC Adnan Jamil, district khateeb Zahoorul Haq and others were also present.

The speakers on the occasion prayed for eternal peace of the souls of APS martyrs and said everybody should contribute to making society peaceful and eliminating terrorism.

TIMERGARA: To pay homage to the martyrs and survivors of APS attack and to observe national solidarity, the Lower Dir district administration arranged a function here at Jirga Hall in Balambat.

Dir Lower Additional Deputy Commissioner Ashfaq Ahmad, other officials and elders were present on the occasion.

GHALLANAI: A ceremony was held at the Jirga Hall in Ghallanai in commemoration of APS martyrs, Peshawar.

Besides others, Member National Assembly Sajid Khan Mohmand, Deputy Commissioner Ghulam Habib Khan, Additional Deputy Commissioner Syed Saiful Islam and Lt. Col Muhammad Javed attended the ceremony.

The participants recited verses from the Holy Quran and offered fateha for the departed souls of the APS Peshawar.

Local students also delivered speeches, naat and national songs on the occasion. The participants asked the people to be vigilant against the terrorists and forge unity among their ranks.

BATTAGRAM: At a ceremony was held at the Government High school Battagram to pay homage to the martyrs of Army Public School Peshawar.

District president ANP Ayaz Torkhaily said that the APS tragedy was the worst example of barbarism. He added that sacrifices of the martyrs would be remembered for long.

Events were also organized in Parachinar, Bannu, Chitral Nowshera and elsewhere in the province to pay homage to the martyrs of the APS.

BANNU: Demanding the implementation of the National Action Plan in letter and spirit, the ANP leaders paid glowing tributes to the martyrs of the APS Peshawar carnage.

The ANP’s former senator Haji Baz Mohammad said that his party lost hundreds of workers to acts of terrorism, but it did not falter in its resolve to work for the restoration of peace in the country.

ANP provincial deputy general secretary Taimur Baz Khan Advocate also spoke on the occasion. Baz Mohammad warned the government that the militants were regrouping and staging targeted killings, therefore, the government must take proactive action or else the situation could spin out of control.