Peaceful Warriors- Two
years after the APS attack
Sadia N. Qazi
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters
are seared with scars.” – Khalil Gibran
It is said that all wounds heal with time. But that’s not true. Some wounds may
seem to heal but the pain is always there; nestled deep inside the soul and
stinging the heart with an ache. The APS (Army Public School) massacre is such a
wound that can never be truly healed, or forgotten.
On an unfortunate morning of December 16, 2014 a devastating terrorist attack
hit the country. Pakistan has sacrificed so much to this bloodbath being the
biggest victim of terrorism. This time the target of these coward terrorists
were the innocent little children of Army Public School, Peshawar. Yet again the
terrorists painted their hands with the blood of precious lives. Yet again we
all witnessed the massacre by these weakling ruthless murderers. Yet again
Pakistan mourned on the withering of blossoming buds.
No words can designate the atrocious incident and no sentence can heal the
slicing wounds. Little flowers of our garden that one day would have grown to be
beautiful trees, were callously tugged and emaciated by the forces that are
bound with hatred and tread in the path of darkness. This darkness engulfed the
little fireflies that were the hope of morning for this struggling nation.
Yes the little angels we lost in the terrorist attacks were the future
torchbearers of light – the light to diminish the darkness of ignorance and
intolerance; the light to create awareness of what’s right and what’s wrong; the
light to see modern and prosperous Pakistan. They were shining the light of
tolerance and acceptance; the light of education and knowledge; the light of
religious awareness; the light of peace and tranquillity, the light of harmony
and love.
These children who seek education are a promise for a better future of Pakistan.
These children are a promise of peaceful Pakistan. These children are a dream of
prosperous Pakistan. These children are the warriors of light in the battle with
darkness.
With what wonders these children would have entered their school that day. Some
were having their exams. They would have prepared and toiled hard to achieve
success. How would they know that some of them were not going to see the sun of
tomorrow let alone the brightness of future? Some of them were taking the
demonstration of first aid from the paramedical staff but who knew some of them
would not get a time for any aid and would die an instant death because of a
bullet. Some of them were enjoying a farewell party celebrating the achievement
of one important milestone. Who knew some of them would never live long enough
to have their degree. How many dreams and hopes were slayed that day? There were
future doctors, engineers and teachers among them. There were children who
desired to do wonders for their country; there were children who wanted to serve
the humanity.
Mothers who clad their children in uniforms had to wrap them in white kaffans.
Parents who dreamt of seeing their children grow strong had to lay them under
ton of soils. The lifelong yearning, prayers and hardship of parents bore the
little fruits in their gardens. They struggled hard to provide them with good
education so that they become a promising stake of society. The terrorists just
took a second to destroy what the parents yearned for years. In a blink of an
eye those living angels with the breathtaking smiles were lost. In the morning
there was a roll call in the class to check the attendance of the students. And
then in the evening there was a roll call again to check the dead bodies of
those students. What a calamity!
It is estimated that a total of 1,099 students were present in the school.
Approximately 960 students were rescued by the valour and strategic
professionalism of the responding Pakistan Armed Forces. The students who got
injured were reported to be 121. Whereas the death toll reported was of 150
including 134 children and school staff members.
The reaction of the nation after the attack was a stronger one. The government
and the public from all walks of life condemned the attack and severe anger was
exhibited against the TTP (Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan) who took the
responsibility of this attack. The international community also stood in
cohesion with the mourning nation. It was a national tragedy that drenched the
hearts with pain and sorrow as a three-day mourning period was observed. An
immediate action by the government and the Armed Forces of Pakistan followed the
attack. A series of candlelight vigils was witnessed throughout the country.
People from every walk of life participated in these vigils to mark solidarity
with the departed souls.
The aftermath of the attack holds a vital impact on the national policy. Not
only it strengthened the resolve of Zarb-e-Azab, the ongoing operation against
the terrorist holdings, but it also brought whole of the nation on one page.
Before the attack, there were groups who either supported the TTP or played
neutrality in this matter. For the last decade we had not been able to eliminate
these terrorists from our homeland because of the advocates and the non-aligners
which resulted in a difference of opinion regarding handling of the prevailing
situation.
But after the attack the whole nation resolved to fight these terrorists and
keep their children, their future safe. This decision was not easy as any
military operation was sure to kindle violent retorts from the terrorists but
this time the nation stood firm on the resolve to get rid of them for once and
for all.
Two years have passed since that tragedy. The memories of the pain have not
erased from the minds of those who endured. The families of the victims who lost
their young ones still remember the precious ones they lost. A number of pupils
endured injuries in the attack and got bullet wounds. Some of these students
have undergone extensive medical treatments and recovered from these bullet
lacerations. Some have even been left with temporary or permanent disability.
Some students have woken up from their coma and some students are still
undergoing medical treatments.
These students of the APS Peshawar are the real heroes of our nation. They
witnessed their friends and their teachers die in front of them. They watched
the horrors of the gore massacre and the grim darkness of death. But yet these
students faced the grisly reality and firmed their resolve for attaining
education. Stepping back in that school after it was reopened on January 12,
2015 was not easy by the students and the staff. The hall, the classrooms and
everything of the school was a constant reminder of the day it was painted red.
General Raheel Shareef, then Chief of Army Staff, himself attended that day’s
morning assembly to uplift the morale.
Salute to these students and teachers who became themselves the very definition
of courage and bravery. They exhibited that courage is not the absence of fear
but to go on regardless of that fear. These students now not only attain
education for themselves but also to honour the ones they lost. Their education
is no longer a matter of good career but it is now a journey to eliminate the
dark of ignorance. They have coped to smile struggling through tears.
A lot of effort was put in by the teachers and the staff. They not only kept
themselves composed but also guided the students towards life. The ISPR song
humain dushman k bachon ko parhana hai exhibits true spirit and strength which
can be witnessed in the survivors of this school.
A monument is erected in the school to commemorate the shuhada of the massacre.
The monument has names engraved of the lost angels. And over this wall is a
sculpted flock of iron birds taking flight soaring to greater heights. The
beautiful monument to honour the victims is not only a reminder to the
occurrence but also symbolizes hope. One word that comes to mind in relation to
the APS Peshawar School is hope; hope for a better future, hope for an educated
Pakistan, hope for a safe haven, hope for the darkness to eliminate, hope for
the light to prevail, hope to set free from the bondages of violent extremism,
hope for unity, hope for faith, hope for discipline, hope for a prosperous
Pakistan and hope for life.
Hope moves mountains. And this hope submerged with the tenacity of students of
APS Peshawar is a beacon of light, an inspiration to look up to and find
motivation to work untiringly to make Pakistan a better and secure homeland. The
wound of this attack has left a scar that is a constant reminder of what we have
lost and what we can all achieve together united. This scar is a proof of the
battle we have been through; fighting for more than a decade and sacrificing
precious life. The students who lost their lives that day and those who survive
dare the peaceful warriors of this battle; and hold the torch of hope for
victory. Their light will shine in our hearts forever. (ENDS)