PESHAWAR: While second year student Syed Satwat Shah was taking an exam at Army Public School, his mother Farhat Begum, a teacher, stepped out of the hall for a brief break, never to return.
Farhat was a lecturer in the college wing of the institute where her elder son Syed Satwat Shah was an intermediate student, while her younger Syed Baqir – who sustained injuries in the attack – studied in grade nine.
Satwat survived the brutal assault unhurt along with 35 of his class fellows because they hid under the benches and were later rescued by the armed forces.
The teenager told The Express Tribune that their exams are usually taken in the college wing but on that fateful day his class was shifted to the school wing and they went accompanied by their teachers, including Farhat.
“She had just left the hall for a few minutes and the next time we saw her she was in a hospital morgue,” said the bereaved student.
According to Satwat, his brother Baqir was in the auditorium when the militants entered and began shooting. The ninth-grader sustained injuries which will heal with time but recovering from the loss of his mother will perhaps take longer.
“These terrorists killed my mother. They should be eliminated from the face of the Earth to make it a better place,” said Satwat tearfully.
Farhat was a resident of Dhakki Naalbandi in the walled city. She was laid to rest on Tuesday night.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 18th, 2014.
COMMENTS (2)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
The attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar is one of the deadliest attacks ever by the Taliban in Pakistan. The terrorists have been attempting to destabilize the nation of Pakistan for over a decade. Unfortunately, we have witnessed hundreds of attacks throughout Pakistan in the last decade, and thousands of people have been laid to rest due to the acts of terror. It would take nothing less than a heartless human being to target innocent little school children. This attack presents a new low and clearly proves that the terrorists continue to surpass all lines in their bid spread fear and chaos. Our deepest and heartfelt condolences go out to all those who are affected by this tragedy. We hope that the families and especially parents find the strength to deal with this heartbreak. This is what the U.S. President Barack Obama said after the attack: “The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms today’s horrific attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan. Our heart and prayers go out to the victims, their families, and loved ones. By targeting students and teachers in this heinous attack, terrorists have once again shown their depravity. We stand with the people of Pakistan, and reiterate the commitment of the United States to support the government of Pakistan in its efforts to combat terrorism and extremism and to promote peace and stability in the region”. The seriousness of the situation requires our nations to combine our strength against those who pose a threat to the safety of our nations. We are witnessing how these repeat offenders continue to resurface with their deadly agenda, and it serves us no good to indulge in conspiracy theories that shift the advantage in our common enemies favor. We stand with the nation of Pakistan during this tragedy, and pray and hope that day is not far when peace is restored throughout the country.
Ali Khan Digital Engagement Team, USCENTCOM
"tragedy-unfolds-gone-in-the-blink-of-an-eye" But would never be unforgettable for the martyred children's families/parents and except Allah Almighty any body would never share and lessen the pain and agony of the martyred children's parents/families......