Parents of school attack victims demand justice in Pak

Angry parents of the victims of the 2014 Peshawar school massacre are planning a sit-in this week here in Pakistan's capital to demand a judicial inquiry and punishment to those responsible for the security of the children.

After a series of protests in Peshawar over the last one a half year, dozens of families of the victims converged on Islamabad and called for a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on September 1, the Dawn reported.

At least 60 family members, including women and children, of the students killed in the attack reached Islamabad, but were stopped by the district administration at the entrance to Red Zone," Ajoon Khan, the father of a student who was killed in the Army Public School (APS) Peshawar attack said.
 

"They even did not allow us to go. In the evening, they told us that a camp was vacant in front of the National Press Club (NPC) and we should shift there until a meeting is arranged with the prime minister the next day," he said.

"We said we will prefer to stay in front of the Prime Minister House instead of going to the camp and again moved towards the Red Zone. One of the parents threatened to immolate himself in front of the PM House. But we were again stopped near Zero Point," he added.

"We will wait for a few days and will again visit Islamabad on Thursday to hold a sit-in in front of the PM House or D-Chowk," Khan said.

Khan said instead of taking action against those behind the APS attack, the government had named a school after his son, Asfand Khan.

"I don't want any compensation because it will be like selling the blood of my son. I want justice. We used to pay Rs 500 per month as a security fee for each student as we were told that army officials were providing security to our children. But no one was held responsible after the massacre of the children," he said.

"When contacted, Additional Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Abdul Sattar Isani said coordination was made between families of the martyred students and the minister for CADD on September 1. Steps for arranging their meeting with the prime minister will be taken next week," Sher Nawaz, whose son Yasir Iqbal was a student of second year said.

At least 150 people, mostly school children, were killed when Taliban gunmen stormed Army Public School. The attack, one of the deadliest in the country's history, led to a nationwide crackdown on militants across Pakistan.