'Peshawar will never be the same again'

People from across the country sent messages to The Express Tribune for APS victims and their families

The Express Tribune reached out to its readers, asking them to share their messages for APS victims and their families. Following are the responses we received on various electronic platforms.

"We will never step back when it comes to the safety and well being of Pakistan, we are united as a nation," Peshawar nazim Muhammad Asim Khan send in a video message.



"We will defeat terrorism in every aspect, making Pakistan a peaceful country, Khan said, while adding that "Pakistan will never forget APS martyrs."

Condolence Message in memory of martyrs of Army Public School Peshawar pic.twitter.com/dxf8YCypNX

— Muhammad Asim Khan (@asimkhan_says) December 15, 2015

A 'message wall' was also set up for the victims, outside APS.

Salman Khan, a student from SZABIST said, "On December 16, all political parties along with civilian and military establishment should join hands, keeping aside everything."

On 16th all pol. parties` leadership, along with civilian n military est. shud join hands, keeping aside everything https://t.co/vgYZDhfneU

— Salman Khan (@Salmankhan_00) December 12, 2015

With the hashtags #NeverForget and #APS, a heart-wrenching talked about how the young victims were unaware of what was lying in front of them.

https://twitter.com/Syed_Bilgrami/status/675671624516034560

 

@ETPeshawar #APS #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/8hhBTUPmET

— Qissa Khwani ( قصه خوانۍ ) (@qissakhwani) December 12, 2015

@SyedHKamal @ETPeshawar Let's spend the money on securing more schools, rid of terror so no more have to go @hidayat_khan26 @AsadQaiserPTI

— aatish (@aatishzada) December 12, 2015

Meanwhile, one demanded for a monument of the Army Public School Fawara Chowk, Peshawar

https://twitter.com/SyedHKamal/status/675663402908450816

Awami National Party Central Vice President Bushra Gohar said via an email,

"This December 16, we are reminded of the painful reality of losing half the country to terrorism, failing the Army Public School’s students and teachers, brutally killed in a terrorist attack as a result of our self-destructive policies.

For Peshawar

The brutal APS massacre has left deep and painful scars that cannot be healed by compensations, building monuments, awarding medals or setting up military courts. The federal and provincial governments have moved on to business as usual.

 

The APS victims’ families demanded a judicial commission but to date, this has not been constituted. It is unfortunate that a judicial enquiry was conducted into the 2013 elections, and the alleged rigging in four constituencies, but no such enquiry have been conducted for the brutal APS massacre. It just shows how skewed our national priorities are.

One year has passed but no one has been held responsible for the criminal negligence that made the attack possible. The state has failed the martyred students, teachers and their families. The families of the injured too are running from pillar to post to get the government to honour its commitment and provide their injured children the best medical treatment. There are reports that families are being threatened, and pressured to remain silent and not ask questions.

Despite tall claims, there is very little progress on the National Action Plan, there is no change in the self-destructive strategic policies and the differentiation between terrorists as good, bad and ugly has not ended. It is the state’s responsibility to ensure safety and security. To expect children to fight terrorism is outrageous.

I would like to express solidarity with the APS martyrs and injured families, and join them in their demand for a judicial enquiry for the APS Peshawar massacre.



My thoughts and prayers are with the APS students and teachers. We will never forget and we shall overcome."

-BG

A 'message wall' was also set up for the victims, outside APS.

Central President National Youth Organization (NYO) Khushaal Khattak also sent in his message via email, in which he said,

"Peshawar will never be the same again after the brutal attack on Army Public School that took place on December 16, 2014.

We will never forget what happened on that day. We will never forget the 147 innocent lives that were lost to senseless violence. We will never forget the beautiful smiles of the children that were lost on that day.

They were our children. They were Peshawar’s children. Their memories will live on. We have to continue to struggle for peace to honour the memory of the martyrs of the APS attack. We have to continue with our struggle for justice for our martyrs.



We stand in solidarity with the families of all those innocent children and their teachers, and our prayers are with them on this day that will continue to haunt our collective conscience until we rid ourselves of the menace of extremism and the threat of terrorism.

A 'message wall' was also set up for the victims, outside APS.

Mian Iftikhar Husain, Central General Secretary Awami National Party and former provincial information minister for K-P stated that "A search operation against targeted terrorists should be conducted on a national level.

"The APS attack on December 16, 2014 was one of the most painful events in the history of Pakistan. The spirits of the martyred children continue to remind us to be a responsible citizen again and again.



The cries of those children and the pain of parents is unbearable for me. And this pain has not lessened over time. The Heart of Asia Conference has opened up possibilities for peace. We must take advantage of the opportunities we are getting now to establish peace in the region. Otherwise, terrorism will continue to threaten us in our future.