PESHAWAR: Eight years on from the dastardly terrorist attack on the Army Public School Peshawar, parents and relatives of the 147 martyred students and staff staged a demonstration, urging the government to declare a holiday on Dec 16 to honour the martyrs.

The parents blocked the busy Khyber Road for five hours for all kinds of traffic, which caused gridlocks on other roads of the provincial capital.

President of APS Shuhada Forum Ajoon Khan told Dawn that they ended their protest and open the road upon an assurance of the district administration that the APS anniversary would be observed every year in all government schools across the province.

On the anniversary, Mr Khan said, different functions would be held at the district and school levels in which pictures of the martyred students would be displayed.

The protesting parents and relatives also demanded that a senior officer should attend the main function of the APS anniversary every year instead of a junior officer. The mothers of the martyred students were holding pictures of their children during the protest. They chanted “we want justice” and raised slogans against those involved in the attack on the school.

Shehbaz pays tribute to the fallen, says struggle to end terrorism will continue

The mothers also cursed the Taliban for killing their children. “O God destroy the homes of those who killed our sweet children,” a mother, holding the picture of her slain son, wailed.

Inside the APS campus, the parents and school administration held Quran Khwani and showered flowers on the monument of the APS Shuhada. In the memories of the martyred students, the main function was held at the campus while the day was also observed by the civil society and different functions in this connection were held.

The Pakistan Hindkowan Tehreek staged a walk inside the interior city and offered prayers for the slain students and staff members of the APS.

On this occasion, Tehreek Chairman Saqaf Yasir said that they staged a walk to share the grief of the parents. Similarly, the civil society members also held a candlelight vigil on the monument set up outside the Shuhada-i-APS Public Library.

‘United against terrorism’

In a couple of tweets, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed solidarity with the families of the slain APS students and staffers. Mr Sharif said, “December 16 is the day for entire Pakistan to be united against terrorism. This day is a message to the world that Pakistan has made great sacrifices to eradicate terrorism [from its soil]. Our struggle is ongoing and it will continue with perseverance until the complete elimination of this menace.”

The premier said the day also reminded the nation of the pain when terrorists entered the school to commit atrocities. “Even after years, the grief is not forgotten,” he said, “Today is a day to pay tribute to the martyrs of APS and share the grief of their families.” He added that the nation will never forget the “sacrifices of its martyrs”.

In connection with the eighth anniversary of APS, Awami National Party Central President Asfandyar Wali Khan said that the wounds of the gruesome attack on APS were still fresh and “parents are still waiting for justice.”

According to a statement issued here, the ANP chief said that restoration of peace would remain a distant dream in the presence of safe havens for militants. He demanded the implementation of the National Action Plan in letter and spirit to eliminate violence and terrorism.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2022