Army Public School attack: Shahzad Ijaz - Age 12
Son of Mian Ijaz Ahmed and Tahira Ijaz
Siblings: Hina Ijaz (APS student, 16), Zakriya Ijaz (12), Bisma Ijaz (9)
Polite and studious, Shahzad wanted to become an airforce pilot. He regarded Rashid Minhas as his role model whom he found most inspiring. Shahzad would collect pictures of Pakistan’s fighter jets and his father says he would read books related to fighter jets and air combat.
Shahzad enjoyed playing sports and played fairly well when it came to cricket and football. His younger brother Zakriya, who is a student at the APS, recalls how once in grade 7 Shahzad injured his arm during a football match but didn’t quit playing despite the fracture. Shahzad also enjoyed watching and playing cricket with Ahmed Shahzad being his favourite player.
Shahzad enjoyed exploring new places and would always participate in school trips that allowed him to do that.
Zakriya also tells how Shahzad enjoyed fast food items and how the brothers would buy chips and shawarma after school to have them over a round of chat.
Shahzad’s next door neighbour and best friend Usman remembers him fondly, saying Shahzad was like a brother to him. Meanwhile, Shahzad’s father tells how every time he meets his son’s friends, the experience makes him miss his child even more. He also says that whenever he goes to the APS for Zakriya’s parents-teacher meetings, he goes to Shahzad’s classroom.
On the day of attack, Shahzad had woken up early and saw that his new clothes were not properly kept, which made him angry. He asked his mother to hang the clothes using a hanger, his father tells, adding that the clothes were for the interview of PAF College Lower Topa which he eventually couldn’t take. Shahzad had passed the test of that college with 90 per cent marks with the result arriving seven days after his passing.