Dubai: Holding back tears, the uncle of a boy killed in the Peshawar school attack in Pakistan on December 16, received condolences in Dubai on Friday.
Haris Nawaz was shot in the head during the attack on the army-run school, his uncle Eamal Khan, who is a Dubai-based businessman, said.
More than 150 people, including more than 130 children, were killed as Taliban gunmen stormed the school.
Haris, had initially managed to escape, but returned for his brother Ahmad, who is in hospital with an arm injury sustained in the attack, Khan said.
Friday saw roughly 100 Pakistanis gather at a mosque at the Pakistan Education Academy to offer condolences to Khan and pay tribute to Haris. The gathering was held right after the Friday prayer.
“I saw the news on TV and got a call about what happened to Haris and Ahmad. I flew to Peshawar for his funeral, so I got to see him one last time. We are praying for Ahmad’s recovery. His parents, and others, have some grievances about how the [army] operation unfolded. Perhaps they could have ended the attack sooner.”
He added: “But the children are gone now. We can only be patient and pray for the families.”
Khan is also general secretary of the Pak Khyber Wing at Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD).
Friday’s gathering followed a series of events held recently in Dubai to offer condolences, tributes and funeral prayers for the victims of the attack, which shocked people around the world.
Non-Pakistanis and Pakistani Christians in the UAE have also shown support and condemned the killings.
The Pakistani consulate in Dubai, PAD and Pakistani schools were among those attending or organising the events held in memory of the fallen.
On Friday, some PAD officials joined the proceedings and addressed the gathering.
“We usually pray for forgiveness for the departed when we gather to remember them, but this time it’s not so easy to understand what to say. These children were innocent flowers who were plucked away from us. But they will be planted again in paradise” said Abdullah Adnan, religious secretary, PAD.
PAD member Abdul Wahid added that Islam is a religion of peace “that had come to eradicate injustice of all kinds. There is no room in it for the needless killing of even a bird, let alone innocent children”.
Also present at the gathering were PAD President Dr Zia Ul Hasan, PAD Legal Secretary Maqbool Islam, and PAD PR Secretary Mohammad Zaim.
