In memory of APS victims: Court asked to prevent construction of monument

PHCBA says money received through donations should be spent on welfare of students.

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA) has filed a writ petition to prevent Army Public School (APS) from using money received through donations to construct a monument in memory of the victims.

The petition was filed on Saturday through the association’s president Muhammad Isa Khan. The interior secretary, speaker of the National Assembly, Senate chairman, Home and Tribal Affairs secretary, speaker of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, station commander and the principal of the army-run school were listed as respondents in the case.

“The APS administration should be directed to not waste the donation money on the construction of monuments in the memory of victims,” stated the petition. “The funds should be spent on the welfare of students—especially those who were injured in the December 16, 2014 attack.”

According to the petition, the funds donated to the school by non-governmental organisations and civil society members were meant to be used for the welfare of students.

“Nothing tangible has been done till date to promote the welfare of APS students,” the petition said. “On the contrary, the school administration has announced the funds will be spent on constructing a monument in memory of the APS victims.”

The PHCBA has deemed the announcement to be ill-timed and inappropriate, especially when the families of APS victims have demanded financial assistance for medical treatment. It wants the government to immediately provide funds which have been promised to the families of victims. Moreover, the PHCBA has requested the court to restrain the station commander and APS principal from using the donation money to construct any monument until a final decision has been made in this regard.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd, 2015.