Iqbal is of the belief that the APS attack has drawn the decisive line and that the perpetrators will soon meet their fate. PHOTO: ZAIN IQBAL SHAHEED COMMUNITY PAGE FACEBOOK
“I received a phone call saying a shoot-out was taking place at the Army Public School (APS) campus,” said Iqbal, adding he was informed some people had opened fire at each other over a personal feud. “The first thought that came to my mind was of Zain. I scurried to the school on my bike and saw children from the kindergarten section being evacuated from the campus,” he said.
Iqbal remembered not seeing a single college student amongst the lot—a sight that instilled fear in his heart. With constant gunfire rattling his senses, there was absolutely no news of his beloved son Zain.
“A phone call from Combined Military Hospital (CMH) informed him that Zain had sustained minor injuries and was at the hospital,” Iqbal recalled. But the relief the news brought was only short-lived. Upon reaching CMH, Iqbal was handed over the body of his progeny.
Muhammad Zain Iqbal, a resident of Gulberg, was a second year college student at APS. An accomplished squash player, Zain was also a consistent academic achiever and had topped school in the first year of college.
“He maintained a record of the countless certificates he received over the years,” shared Iqbal. His son was at the physics laboratory for an exam when his world was torn apart. “They shot him and his classmates in the lab,” Iqbal said, adding he had three children—two boys and a girl. Zain was the youngest.
“The school reopened on Monday. I attended the morning assembly and stood where only until a few weeks ago Zain used to,” said the bereaved father. “What threat could innocent children possibly pose to anyone?” he questioned.
Iqbal is of the belief that the APS attack has drawn the decisive line and that the perpetrators will soon meet their fate. “No one has ever butchered harmless children this way. It is Karbala for us,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 16th, 2015.
COMMENTS (10)
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I can never forget one interview where a father was crying for his son and with all the effort he was only able to say. 'he had so much potential but its all gone. he had so much potential but its all gone'. Burns my heart every time when I think of the agony that is being felt by the parents.
@miandad. No words to describe all those mentally sick people like you we have in Pakistan. How killing of madrasas would lessen the pain of parents of children who lost there lives in aps. These children had no role in any way in what ever suffering is in rest of the world and had no merit to be killed like this. Either mourn on the situation or get lost. If these parents come and kill your children then tell you story. Oh well our children were killed too then what will you say. Such a dumb argument from people who have no humanity and try to down play any little bit of humanity shown by others in our country.
People like Iqbal Bahi and Baji are really brave we are speech less honestly Salute to parents of Sahhed
Killing is meanwhile a highly paid, and widespread occupation in Pakistan. It is an established institution. This is the bitter reality of the Pakistani society.
Killers are hired from politicians, drug traffickers, land grabbers, smugglers, Mullahs and so on. They kill for anyone who pays them.
It is the consequence of mass poverty, mass unemployment, mass illiteracy, mass oppression versus business tycoons, black economy, corrupt politicians and a bloodsucking institution of Army.
There is not much difference in the psychology of a professional killer and a career soldier!
Speechless. This fight should go on till the end!
tears
There were no such human interest stories about the victims of that drone attack on a Bajaur seminary back in Musharaff's time. 80 children died in that attack.
@Peshawar: Would the catching Mullah Fazlullah end terrorism? If you think so, then good luck to you, but I think there are thousands of Ullahs in line to take his place. They are so eager to kill us that Mullah's own deputy might kill him blaming on his bad performance. I am not an expert but I think we are treating cancer with aspirin.
I hope our Army catches Fazlullah alive, then he be given an exemplary end in front of the world