PHOTO: AFP
Heavily-armed militants stormed the Army Public School in Peshawar in December, killing 150 people, most of them children.
The carnage horrified the world and left many survivors badly traumatised. Now 10 students and two teachers who escaped the bloodshed have been sent on a 10-day trip to help them recover.
RELATED POST: 10 day visit: APS survivors to leave for China trip
"The basic aim of the visit is to divert the attention of the survivors," from the nightmare, a security official told AFP.
An official at the Army Public School confirmed the visit and told AFP that "more survivors will be sent in coming days to other countries".
Both the officials spoke on condition of anonymity.
The officials said the decision was taken after psychiatrists suggested that survivors need long-term therapy and mental health counselling.
The security official in Peshawar said the parents of children killed in the attack would be sent to on pilgrimage Saudi Arabia in the coming days.
COMMENTS (12)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@US CENTCOM: Yes we can imagine what the children went through. This type of dreadful activity has become routine in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Palestine as a result of US intervention and/or support.
Rameez and Abdullah its seem that u both don't have heart , its so disgusting to know that in Pakistan people have this type of perception about this great massacre of innocent... If anyone doing something good for the survivor and the family of decease so whats problem with you? Because of these type of people Pakistan is burning..and each day is going to be worst than previous day..
Being a former student of same school i would like to tell the guys who started this civilian military debate 80 percent of the children who go to this school are children of non uniformed soldiers (lets not use the word civilian) of Pakistan. Most casualties belonged to same patriotic category.
Let the children enjoy the trip and please don't try to politicize the trip of students between Army and Civilians.
Why don't you count those Army Jawans who laid down their lives for Pakistan as well as for those people who are politicizing Army on this particular discussion.
For me at least some children have gone abroad at the expense of government. At least this has set the precedent for civilian children to go abroad.
@Rameez: @Abdullah: Shameful discussion without any knowledge. Army Public Schools houses 75% students of area. Trip is sponsored by China
Omg, i feel sorry for these lowheads who are being keyboard warriors here, for heaven sake these kids survived a masacare in which their fellow students were killed and teachers burnt alive infront of them, just because they study in a school which has a army word attached to them, doesn't necessarily means every one is a army brat. The majority of the students are civillians.
One cannot even imagine what these survivors had to go through during the horrific ordeal on December 16th. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been affected by that horrific inhumane act of terror on Army Public School.
Ali Khan Digital Engagement Team, USCENTCOM
@Abdullah: Kindly read 'Military Inc.' By Ayeshe Siddiqa
How many civilians' children were sent on healing trips?
@Rameez: It is not Army because of whom the country is in mess. It is because our intelligence agencies are not centric. There are more than 5 Pakistani agencies operating in Pakistan and there is no central sync point between them. Army is the only department which is meritorious and 100% function in Pakistan.
@Abdullah: Don't love army. Army is one of the reasons our country is in a mess.
Sorry, I love Pakistan Army but how many of Civilian's children get these kinds of opportunities?