Glad tiding: Parents relieved over APS mastermind’s death

Umar Naray was killed in drone strike in Afghanistan

PESHAWAR: Parents of those who lost their lives in the Army Public School (APS) massacre have voiced satisfaction after the mastermind behind the heinous attack – Umar Naray, alias Khalifa Umar Mansoor – was killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan.

The Inter-Services Public Relations Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa confirmed on Wednesday that Naray, the chief mastermind behind the December 16, 2014 attack, was killed in a drone strike in the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan on July 9.

While talking to The Express Tribune, Tufail Khattak, APS victim Sher Shah’s father, said he now feels satisfied.

“The parents of all those who died in the APS attack had wanted justice to be served,” he said. “God has listened to our grievances and fulfilled our desires.”

Dr Farooq Shah, father of Mobin Shah who also fell victim to the militants’ gun during the APS attack, said his entire family felt satisfied after they heard the news of the mastermind’s killing.

“The country has been able to eliminate terrorists with great zeal,” he said.

He urged Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif to expedite the operation against terrorists to eliminate militancy from the country once and for all.

The mother of an APS victim also showed her satisfaction and said all nations are happy today that the children’s killer is now dead.

“I always wanted to see my children’s enemy brought to justice,” she added.

Naray was the mastermind of APS attack where at least 144 people, mostly children, were brutally slain. Naray was also involved in the attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, on January 20, 2016. He was also responsible for the September 2015 attack on a Pakistan Air Force base in Badabher, which killed at least 29 people.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 15^th, 2016.