Rallies across AJK condemn Peshawar school massacre

Finance minister says everyone belonging to AJK were with the families of the innocent victims of the Peshawar attack.

MUZAFFARABAD:

People across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) staged rallies on Wednesday against the terrorist attack on Army Public School in Peshawar.

AJK Finance Minister Chaudhry Latif Akbar led the main rally here in which hundreds of people raised slogans against the terrorists.

The rally started from the Central Press Club and culminated at the District Complex.

While addressing the participants of the rally, the finance minister said that everyone belonging to AJK were with the families of the innocent victims of the Peshawar attack.

Akbar called it “a cowardly act”.

“We appeal to the government of Pakistan to stand up against terrorism without distinguishing between the good and the bad Taliban. There is no room for mercy for those who have carried out this attack killing innocent children,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of schoolchildren also took to the streets to condemn the terrorist attack.

The students marched from Ambur to the Central Press Club.

In various parts of the city, political parties, members of the civil society and traders held candlelight vigils. Kashmiri refugees also held a candlelight vigil in Gharipan Chowk.

Traders observed a complete shutdown in Madina Market.

President of the local traders union Shaukat Nawaz said that the traders stood with the families of those who lost their lives in the terrorist attack.

He also commended the army for killing the attackers.

Meanwhile, supporters of Jammatud Dawah (JuD) AJK chapter offered funeral prayers in absentia here in Khurshid Hassan Khurshid Stadium.

Rallies were also staged in Mirpur, Kotli, Bagh, Rawalakot and Neelum to condemn the attack and express solidarity with the families of the victims.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2014.