December 16, 2024
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD
Even a decade after a devastating terrorist attack killing 132 children, the case hangs in the Supreme Court without much development. The cruel and brutal attack took place on December 16, 2014, on the Army Public School (APS) Peshawar, leaving the entire world reeling in shock and grief as 147 people were killed out of which 132 were children.
The pain of the bereaved parents peaks as they mark this 10 year death anniversary of their children they thought they were sending to school to study. Even today, they are fighting an uphill and exhausting battle for justice.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan remains silent on the commission report submitted in 2020, leaving the families in a perpetual state of anguish and uncertainty. The commission, initially established in 2018 with a mandate to complete its investigation within two months, has taken over two years to finalize its findings. Justice Mohamamad Ibrahim Khan, then judge of Peshawar High Court, was appointed head of the commission.
Speaking to Voicepk.net the parents of the martyred children said that the Supreme Court has yet to set a date for the hearing and ruling on the APS commission report submitted to the court in 2020. The report, authored by Justice Mohammad Ibrahim Khan, remains unpublished despite repeated calls and protests from the victims’ families.
Fazal Khan, a lawyer and the father of martyred student Umar Khan, represents the collective frustration of the victims’ families.
“The case for getting justice for our children has gone missing in the Supreme Court,” he says, highlighting the systematic bureaucratic obstacles that have impeded their pursuit of truth and accountability.
The commission’s report, authored by Justice Mohamamad Ibrahim Khan, remains shrouded in secrecy. Despite the parents’ continuous protests and repeated appeals, the full report has not been publicly released. Khan alleges that there have been deliberate attempts to protect certain institutions and personalities whom the parents hold responsible for the tragic incident.t
Struggle extends beyond legal battles
Tariq Jan, another father who lost his children Shambail and Nangial in the attack, spoke about the continuous harassment and intimidation parents face while giving an interview to Voicepk.net along with Khan on the attack’s 10th anniversary.
“The establishment is continuously trying to prevent us from pursuing the case in the Supreme Court,” Jan explained, underscoring the complex political and institutional dynamics surrounding the investigation.
The APS tragedy, which occurred on December 16, 2014, when Taliban terrorists stormed the school in Peshawar, killing and injuring hundreds, was a turning point in Pakistan’s fight against terrorism. The brutality of the attack shocked the nation and international community, prompting widespread condemnation and calls for comprehensive action against terrorist networks.
Remarkably, even the alumni of the school who survived the attack are reluctant to speak out, fearing potential intimidation. This climate of fear has highlighted the systemic challenges faced by those seeking accountability.
Fazal Khan’s personal experience underscores the risks involved in pursuing justice. He was forced to leave the country after facing direct threats, including an attempted assassination where unidentified persons sprayed bullets on his car.
Tariq Jan said the parents have made multiple attempts to engage with military and judicial authorities, requesting inclusion in internal accountability mechanisms. However, their efforts have been repeatedly thwarted by bureaucratic indifference and institutional resistance.
The commission’s report, while not fully disclosed, reportedly identified certain individuals and institutions responsible for procedural blunders, negligence, and critical omissions that might have contributed to the tragic attack. Yet, these findings remain trapped in legal and administrative limbo.
According to Tariq Jan, sources within the Supreme Court registry suggest that the hearing has deliberately been left pending, raising serious questions about the institutional commitment to delivering justice to the victims’ families.
This ongoing saga represents more than a legal battle; it is a profound indictment of a system that appears more invested in protecting institutional reputations than in providing closure to grieving families.
Tufail Tariq, an APS alumni and the brother of a martyred student, said the school’s alumni also wanted justice for their classmates martyred in the horrendous attack but were afraid to come forward because of fear of intimidation and threats.
Even as yet another day of remembrance passes, the parents continue their relentless pursuit of truth and accountability. Their struggle symbolizes not just a personal quest for justice, but a broader demand for transparency, responsibility, and genuine commitment to protecting innocent lives.
The silence surrounding the APS commission report does not reflect as only a legal failure, they feel, but a moral one that continues to inflict immeasurable pain on those who have already endured the most unimaginable loss.