Dubai: Uzair Ali, a Grade 8 pupil, leapt to protect his friends by lying on top of them after he saw armed attackers.
He was killed; shot 13 times, but he managed to save his companions.
Fourteen-year-old Fahad Hussain opened a building door so his friends could run out. He stayed by the door making sure everyone was taken to safety. He was gunned down while doing so.
Heartbreaking stories of the brave schoolchildren of the Army Public School, which came under the worst terrorist attack in the history of Pakistan last year, are now known to all, but what has changed in Pakistan since the children’s massacre is not known to every one.
As Pakistan marks the first anniversary of the Peshawar school massacre on December 16, Gulf News recaps the incident that brought major changes to the country’s fight against terrorists and its impact in the country and abroad.
Pakistan Army chief, General Raheel Sharif, stood firm in his resolve of eliminating terrorists which he repeated on occasions. “Martyred children’s sacrifice has given a new strength to the national resolve to fight terrorism,” said Gen Sharif in a statement issued to Gulf News on Tuesday. He said that the most Army Public School attack culprits have met their fate.
“We will continue to pursue efforts to consolidate our gains to make them sustainable, which will be a fitting tribute to all the Shuhada [martyrs] and wounded,” he added.
Chief spokesperson of Pakistan Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa, Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that the events of December 16, 2014 left deep scars, which would take very long to heal.
Some 147 people, including 132 children, were brutally murdered and 125 were left injured after seven heavily armed men stormed the premises of the Army Public School in Peshawar on the fateful day.
The attackers first blew up their vehicle behind the school and then fire indiscriminately on students in the compound of the school. Then they went classroom by classroom to kill dozens more.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed the responsibility for the attack claiming it was a ‘revenge’ for the alleged killing of their children in Pakistan military operation against terrorists.
“The blatant act of barbaric terrorism sent tremors world over. Almost all the nations felt the pain and stood in solidarity with Pakistan to denounce this inhuman act,” Lt Gen Bajwa said.
As the day of the first anniversary nears, relatives of the victims relive their pain.
No doubt, the federal and provincial governments, military, political parties and civic society have come up with immense consolation in whatever possible means for the families of the deceased victims.
During the last one year, Pakistan government and military have taken several steps to address public anger against the terrorists. They have joined hands to institute several policy changes including setting up the military courts for civilian terrorists to bring them to task, lifting of ban on execution, stepping up military operation against terrorists and crack down on sectarian groups and armed wings of political and religious parties across the country as part of the National Action Plan.
According to Lt Gen Bajwa, the move has yielded positive results as Pakistan government and military stands firm to their conviction of eliminating terrorism from Pakistan.
Statistics provided by the ISPR reveal that due to intensified military operation Zarb-e-Azb after the school massacre. During the last one year, Pakistan armed forces have killed more than 3,400 terrorists, demolished 837 hideouts of terrorists in addition to annihilating infrastructure of terrorists.
At least 488 soldiers and officers of Pakistan army lost their lives while 1,914 were injured during action against terrorists during the last one year.
Thirty-one terrorists have been sentenced in military courts and 142 cases have been delegated to 11 military courts while 87 cases are still pending.
Some 183 dangerous terrorists have been killed through Intelligence based operations and 21,193 terrorists have been apprehended.
Lt Gen Bajwa said the military operation is still going in some pockets near Pakistan-Afghan borders
Pakistan army has achieved unprecedented successes during operation Zarb-e-Azb.
Due to these operations following the school tragedy, law and order situation drastically improved throughout the country. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KPK) alone — which is most-affected by terrorist activities, a 56% decline was recorded not only in terrorist acts but in common crimes as well.
What’s changed?
Steps taken as part of National Action Plan
- Military trial courts established to handle terror cases. Moratorium on capital punishment lifted.
- Convicted terrorists languishing in jails executed.
- School attack mastermind, planners and facilitators traced and apprehended.
- Drive to counter hate speech and extremist material launched.
- Establishment and deployment of dedicated counter-terrorism force.
- Officials taking effective steps against religious persecution.
- Registration and regulation of madrasas begins.
- Ban on glorification of terrorism and terrorist organisations through print and electronic media.
- Dismantling communication network of terrorist organisations. Zero tolerance for militancy in Punjab.
- Renewed policy to deal with Afghan refugees.
What was done for victims of the tragedy
- Some victims sponsored for treatment abroad.
- Special psychiatric treatment centre set up to counsel survivors and parents.
- Monetary support and compensation offered. Free education in APS to one sibling each per deceased student.
- Government awarded gallantry award, ‘Sitar-i-Shujaat’, to deceased Principal Tahira Qazi and other victims, along with cash awards.
- Provincial government announced plan to rename schools and highways after the deceased victims.