Ghalib Parvaiz
The Writer Teaches World History and Pakistan Studies
at APS&C System Hyderabad Cantt.
Remembering the Martyrs of APS
“Smallest coffins are the heaviest to carry”. There is nothing more saddening in this world than a child’s demise from the cause of terrorism. Every year Pakistan observes 16th December as a black day because we have lost our little angels in Army Public School, Peshawar. The massacre of APS Peshawar was an attempt to destabilize Pakistan. Militants have crossed the red line by storming educational institutions and attacking our innocent students. The attack has been remembered in the annals of Pakistan’s history because the nation will continue to pay homage to those who have been killed at the hands of terrorists. According to Nelson Mandela, education is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change this world. This quote is equally important and relevant in contemporary times. For instance, having a look at western and eastern countries, including China and Japan they have prioritized their education. Thus, continue to dominate the world in every walk of life. But the question is what hampers developing countries like Pakistan to become the most educated country in the world?
Countries that continuously face the threat of terrorism can never be on the path of progress because terrorism devours human intelligentsia, development and restricts a country from achieving sustainable developmental goals. Pakistan has witnessed the most dangerous terrorism wave soon after the 9/11 incident – perhaps the only attacks in the twenty-first century that have changed global politics. We have decided to join hands with the United States against the war on terror and managed to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan. Our Armed forces rendered great sacrifices and secured Pakistan from prevailing terrorist activities. However, we as a nation failed the day when some militants entered APS Peshawar and bloodshed students who have been martyred in school. On December 16th, our students went to school and never came back. The tragedy has shaken our state’s foundations and triggered chaos and anarchy.
There is no denying the fact that our students are the future of Pakistan. Our nation’s success lies in securing our students from illiteracy and terrorism. Unfortunately, 20 million students are still deprived of education which is the basic right of every child living in Pakistan. According to Article 25- A of the constitution of Pakistan, children from five to sixteen years old are entitled to acquire free education in government schools, yet students have no access to education especially in remote areas of Pakistan. Streamlining such students should be the topmost priority of the Pakistan government.
Pakistan has long been cited as providing safe havens to terrorists, but the APS Peshawar attack exposed the so-called distorted narrative of Pakistan’s enemy country India. Soon after the brutal attack on APS, our policymakers, including Civil-Military struggled hard to prevent terrorist activities and managed to formulate National Action Plan. According to NAP, the state has successfully waged war against growing extremism and militancy. The relentless efforts yielded positive results as Pakistan reports fewer terror-related activities as compared to the past five years.
It’s been seven years, but the tragedy of December 16th, 2014 still brings tears into the eyes of millions of Pakistani. This is a testament to the fact that we have not forgotten the martyrs of APS. Terrorists failed to shake the spirit and dedication of our students and have been dispatched to hell by our paramilitary forces. The martyrs of APS Peshawar have left the legacy that neither they have been deterred by the attacks, nor will they give up education. To sum up, students’ passion for their studies will make Pakistan a progressive country.