Killed for no fault of theirs

Family members of 10 people who died in the suicide attacks on Sunday recount their lives.

 

Akash Bashir



Akash Bashir, 19, was a member of the volunteer force that provided security at the Catholic Church on Sundays. On the fateful day, he was among those who tried to stop the terrorists from entering the church. His sacrifice saved hundreds. Bashir, the father of deceased, said that Akash had always aspired to be a great man. “His mother once asked him to stop standing at the church’s gate. He replied that he wanted to make people safer and did not care for his own life,” Bashir said. He said that Akash and his sacrifice should be remembered.

Zahid Yousaf Goga



Zahid Yousaf Goga, 42, had been twice elected president of the local traders’ union. He had gone to the church along with his family on Sunday. He had stopped at the front gate to chat with some acquaintances. When one of the terrorists tried to force his way into the church, Yousaf grabbed him. The suicide bomber then detonated his explosive vest. Riaz Afzal, Yousaf’s elder brother, said that he had been humble person. “He always took part in the social activities. He never refused to help anyone who knocked at his door. He was also a very good father,” Afzal said.

Ilyas Bhatti



Ilyas Bhatti, 39, had been a TV mechanic. He had three sons. On Sunday, he had planned to attend the wedding of one of his friends. He was closing the shop when a customer came and handed him another TV set. Bhatti told him that he could not repair the TV right away. However, the customer, a friend, pleaded for the favour and Bhatti agreed to fix it. He was still in the shop when the terrorists started shooting. He was hit in the head by a bullet as he tried to look outside. He died on the spot

James Sardar



James Sardar, 22, had worked in a towel factory. His elder brother said that he was a loving man. “He was a very kind man. I frequently borrowed his bike. He never refused to lend it. Recently, I had asked him to buy me a new bike. James had smiled and asked me to focus on my work,” he said. He said that James was married and had a daughter. “He was an affectionate husband and father,” he said. “On Sunday, James was approaching the church when the blast occurred. When I heard about the blast, I immediately went looking for him,” he said.

Moosa Tanveer



Moosa Tanveer, 16, was an eighth grade student. Tanveer, father of the deceased, said that he had gone to buy meat from a shop located near the church, owned by one of his relatives. “He never returned. I have three daughters. Moosa was my only son. We will miss him dearly. My family is still in a state of shock about what happened on Sunday. Our lives will never be the same again,” he said. Tanveer said that Moosa had been an obedient child. “Everyone loved him. He was quite popular with all our neighbours and relatives,” Tanveer said.

Obaid and Amreen



Obaid Khokhar and his wife Amreen, too, lost their lives in the Youhanabad bombings. They had belonged to Stunzabad Chak 135/16-L near Mian Channu in Khanewal district. They had both worked at Lahore General Hospital. The 29-year-old Amreen was a staff nurse at the hospital. They had a four-year-old daughter Anjelica. They had gone to attend the Sunday service at the church, while Anjelica was at an adjacent school. When the terrorists started shooting, the couple ran outside. Obaid jumped on the terrorist, who blew himself up.

Shaikh Sadiq

Shaikh Sadiq, 40, had had a shop where he sold kitchen utensils in front of the Christ Church. His son said that Sadiq was a loving father. “On Sunday, I had asked him to stay home for longer as it was a holiday. I had told him to open the shop a little late. However, he insisted on sticking to his routine. We let him go,” his son said. He said that his father had believed in hard work. “He was always worried about providing for the family. All his attention was focused on us. He never spent much on himself,” he said.

Shehzad

Shehzad,19, used to run a meat shop near the church. He was engaged to one of Moosa’s sisters. Neighbours and family members said he was a hardworking young man. “He always had a smile on his face. He respected his elders. His parents always praised him,” Tanveer said. He said that Shehzad had wanted to rise in the world through hard work. “He was an honest fellow. All the neighbouring shopkeepers were fond of him,” Tanveer said. Shehzad was at work at his shop when the blast occurred. He died on the spot.

Abishahe Sarfraz

Abishahe Sarfraz, 12, was a grade three student. He had anxiously awaited the results of his final exams. Sarfraz, Abishahe’s father, said that the exam result was going to be announced on March 17 (today). “His teachers had already congratulated him, saying he had secured good marks in the exams. On Sunday, he had prepared his school bag and bought some lead pencils and copies. His bag lies there. He never returned,” Sarfraz said. He said that Abishahe’s loss had been terrible for his family.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2015.