Collective mourning: People unite over a grief still fresh
City in a jam for select VVIPs to mark the day in ease
A child light candles on the first anniversary of APS carnage. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD IQBAL/EXPRESS
SWABI/ABBOTTABAD/HARIPUR/MINGORA/PESHAWAR/BANNU/CHARSADDA/MARDAN/JAMRUD/SHERGARH:
Instead of providing people easy avenues to express their grief, traffic in the city was a nightmare. Authorities blocked major routes including Warsak Road, Sher Shah Suri Road and GT Road to provide security to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif, and civil and military leadership in town to pay tribute to victims and survivors of the Army Public School attack on Wednesday.
Traffic was diverted to alternative routes such as the narrow roads passing through Shoba Bazaar where hundreds of vehicles remained stranded for hours. Sher Shah Suri was blocked when Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairperson Imran Khan and chief minister visited Peshawar Archives and Public Library for an inauguration ceremony. Thousands of people were then herded towards Peshawar Press Club to hold rallies, further blocking roads.
Unified city
Major markets in the city including Saddar, University Road, Khyber Bazaar and Qissa Khwani, remained partially closed. “We stand together with the grieving families at this tragic time,” said Mukhtar Ahmad, a trader in Cantt.
People gathered outside Peshawar Press Club and paid homage to those who lost their lives in the heinous attack. They held placards inscribed with messages extending support to ongoing operations against militants in the country.
“A shaheed [martyr] never dies but lives forever in our hearts,” read a placard held by a participant at a demonstration held by Sikhs.
Led by Sikh Committee of Pakistan Chairman Radesh Singh Tony, demonstrators paid tributes to all those who lost their lives and to their bereaved family members.
Tehreek-e-Nojawanan [Youth Movement] also held a rally led by Abdullah Gul, son of the late ISI chief Lieutenant General (retd) Hamid Gul.
Bolo Zimadari Se
Awaz District Forum (ADF) launched ‘Bolo Zimadari Se’ – a campaign to commemorate the victims. The event was organized by civil society group at the press club. According to a statement issued by ADF, the campaign focused on eliminating hate speech, violence, extremism and intolerance.
Representatives of participating organisations including Arshad Haroon, Qamar Naseem and Sana Ejaz demanded that the government implement the National Action Plan in true spirit to eliminate terrorism and extremism from the country.
A ‘Bolo Zimadari Se’ event was also held in Swat. Meanwhile, in Mingora, children from minority communities paid tribute to the martyrs at an event outside Swat Press Club. The memorial event was chaired by minority district councillor Baldiyo Kumar.
Schools in solidarity
Students in Jamrud, Bannu, Shergarh and Mardan held vigils, tableaus and prayer services.
At Government Adnan Shaheed Higher Secondary School in Mardan, district naib nazim Haji Asad Ali said, “The children and staff of APS showed tremendous bravery by sacrificing their lives.”
Similarly, at Government Abdul Azeem Shaheed Higher Secondary School in Jamrud, Khyber Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Jamaludddin Afridi said the incident that took place a year ago shook everyone. “It is mandatory for us to stand united against terrorism and to express our disapproval of the brutal attack,” he added.
A vigil took place at Bannu Press Club. Students and staff of Apex Grammer School Bannu, journalists, politicians and social organisations participated. Shergarh Girls Higher Secondary School Hathyan, Government Primary School Khan Qila Jalala and schools of Bayezai held events.
Swabi
A Pashto mushaira was held at the office of Swabi education department. The event was chaired by Tsawar Manerwal. Renowned lecturers, Nawaz Yousafzai and Aziz Manerwal participated.
Charsadda
Shaheed Umar Hayat Higher Secondary Public School Charsadda also observed the death anniversary of APS martyrs where Charsadda DC Captain (retd) Tahir Zafar Abbas, nazim Fahad Riaz Khan, Deputy DEO Muhammad Iqbal were in attendance.
Hazara Division
Students across Hazara observed the first anniversary of the massacre. Lawyers boycotted work at the district bar council hall, and rallies were held at educational institutes across the division. In Haripur, civil society joined students at an event organized by SUNGI Development Foundation.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 17th, 2015.
Instead of providing people easy avenues to express their grief, traffic in the city was a nightmare. Authorities blocked major routes including Warsak Road, Sher Shah Suri Road and GT Road to provide security to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif, and civil and military leadership in town to pay tribute to victims and survivors of the Army Public School attack on Wednesday.
A man along with his family protest against high handedness of police at the Peshawar Press Club. PHOTO: PPI
Traffic was diverted to alternative routes such as the narrow roads passing through Shoba Bazaar where hundreds of vehicles remained stranded for hours. Sher Shah Suri was blocked when Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairperson Imran Khan and chief minister visited Peshawar Archives and Public Library for an inauguration ceremony. Thousands of people were then herded towards Peshawar Press Club to hold rallies, further blocking roads.
Unified city
Major markets in the city including Saddar, University Road, Khyber Bazaar and Qissa Khwani, remained partially closed. “We stand together with the grieving families at this tragic time,” said Mukhtar Ahmad, a trader in Cantt.
Army personnel patrol the site of APS. PHOTO: EXPRESS
People gathered outside Peshawar Press Club and paid homage to those who lost their lives in the heinous attack. They held placards inscribed with messages extending support to ongoing operations against militants in the country.
“A shaheed [martyr] never dies but lives forever in our hearts,” read a placard held by a participant at a demonstration held by Sikhs.
Led by Sikh Committee of Pakistan Chairman Radesh Singh Tony, demonstrators paid tributes to all those who lost their lives and to their bereaved family members.
People hold banners in support of APS victims. PHOTO: EXPRESS
Tehreek-e-Nojawanan [Youth Movement] also held a rally led by Abdullah Gul, son of the late ISI chief Lieutenant General (retd) Hamid Gul.
Bolo Zimadari Se
Awaz District Forum (ADF) launched ‘Bolo Zimadari Se’ – a campaign to commemorate the victims. The event was organized by civil society group at the press club. According to a statement issued by ADF, the campaign focused on eliminating hate speech, violence, extremism and intolerance.
Representatives of participating organisations including Arshad Haroon, Qamar Naseem and Sana Ejaz demanded that the government implement the National Action Plan in true spirit to eliminate terrorism and extremism from the country.
A ‘Bolo Zimadari Se’ event was also held in Swat. Meanwhile, in Mingora, children from minority communities paid tribute to the martyrs at an event outside Swat Press Club. The memorial event was chaired by minority district councillor Baldiyo Kumar.
Schools in solidarity
Students in Jamrud, Bannu, Shergarh and Mardan held vigils, tableaus and prayer services.
Students offering Fateha. PHOTO: INP
At Government Adnan Shaheed Higher Secondary School in Mardan, district naib nazim Haji Asad Ali said, “The children and staff of APS showed tremendous bravery by sacrificing their lives.”
Similarly, at Government Abdul Azeem Shaheed Higher Secondary School in Jamrud, Khyber Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Jamaludddin Afridi said the incident that took place a year ago shook everyone. “It is mandatory for us to stand united against terrorism and to express our disapproval of the brutal attack,” he added.
A vigil took place at Bannu Press Club. Students and staff of Apex Grammer School Bannu, journalists, politicians and social organisations participated. Shergarh Girls Higher Secondary School Hathyan, Government Primary School Khan Qila Jalala and schools of Bayezai held events.
Swabi
A Pashto mushaira was held at the office of Swabi education department. The event was chaired by Tsawar Manerwal. Renowned lecturers, Nawaz Yousafzai and Aziz Manerwal participated.
Charsadda
Shaheed Umar Hayat Higher Secondary Public School Charsadda also observed the death anniversary of APS martyrs where Charsadda DC Captain (retd) Tahir Zafar Abbas, nazim Fahad Riaz Khan, Deputy DEO Muhammad Iqbal were in attendance.
Hazara Division
Students across Hazara observed the first anniversary of the massacre. Lawyers boycotted work at the district bar council hall, and rallies were held at educational institutes across the division. In Haripur, civil society joined students at an event organized by SUNGI Development Foundation.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 17th, 2015.