Homage to the fallen: APS victims remembered across Punjab

Peace seminars launched at varsities as part of a weeklong campaign

LAHORE: The victims of the Army Public Schools (APS) Peshawar were remembered at educational institutions across the province on Saturday, marking the third anniversary of the terrorist attack.

A week-long campaign to pay homage to the martyrs of APS Peshawar and a peace seminar were launched at selected universities of the province by the Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC). The campaign was inaugurated on Friday at the University of Education (UoE) Bank Road Campus. The students, through various performances, paid tribute to martyrs of APS Peshawar and highlighted the message of peace. On the occasion, a painting exhibition on the topics of harmony and coexistence was also organised. Visitors took keen interest in the artwork prepared by the students.

Another conference, being held at the Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), also paid homage to the victims of the APS attack. On the last day of the three-day International Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities in the New Millennium: Challenges and Prospects, LCWU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Uzma Quraishi announced dedicating the university’s Institute of Education to APS Principal Tahira Qazi.



She was martyred while trying to save the lives of her students during the attack. Dr Qureshi said that the varsity’s syndicate would be requested to endorse this decision. The participants of the conference offered Fateha for the souls of APS Peshawar victims and stood silent for one minute to pay tribute.

Public schools in the province also held prayer ceremonies to mark the day. Punjab School Education Department (SED) Secretary Dr Allah Baksh Malik participated in a similar event at the Government Maqbool-e-Aam High School GOR-I. Officials of the SED, teachers and students participated in the event. The participants prayed for the souls of the victims of the APS attack. Dr Malik paid rich tributes to the parents and family members of APS martyrs and said that education was the biggest weapon to eradicate ignorance, fanaticism and terrorism from the country.

He said the process of education promotion was in full swing across the province under the Parho Punjab, Barho Punjab programme and the government was working hard to achieve the target of 100% enrolment.

He inaugurated the early childhood education classroom and library in the school. The library contains 17,000 digital books along with 3,000 printed copies. Dr Malik also gave his personal book collection and computers to the school’s library. Schools Secretary and his wife also distributed gifts among the students.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2017.