SC to hear APS attack case on Oct 5

Justice Nisar earlier took suo motu of the case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has fixed October 5 to hear a suo motu case pertaining to the 2014 attack on Army Public School in Peshawar.

At least 140 people, out of which 134 were children, were martyred when militants stormed the school on December 16, 2014 – making it one of the most traumatising attacks in the history of the country.

Unsatisfied by the investigation of the terrorist attack, parents of the victims staged a protest outside Peshawar High Court (PHC) in May urging Chief Justice Saqib Nisar to take suo motu notice of the matter.



A two-member bench headed by the chief justice had ordered the formation of a judicial commission to probe the carnage. The top court had directed PHC Chief Justice Yahya Afridi to nominate a senior judge of the high court for the commission.

The apex court had issued the directives on an application submitted by APS Martyrs Forum - led by mothers of the victims. It requested the court to pressurise the government to punish those involved in the attack and those who failed to protect the children.



The martyrs’ parents pointed out a threat alert issued by National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA) in August 2014 about a possible attack on the educational institutions run by the Pakistan Army and the sought answers on steps taken by the relevant authorities to foil the attack.

Earlier, the parents also approached the PHC seeking trial of former Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan - who had claimed credit for the gruesome violence on behalf of his group. He had surrendered to security forces in April 2017.

The petition said the bereaved families had found some solace after Ehsan’s surrender but were disappointed as the TTP spokesperson was not made to stand trial.