December 16, 2014, began like any other cold winter morning in Peshawar. The students’ laughter and conversation filled the air as they made their way to their classrooms in the Army Public School (APS). But by midday, a tragedy that would shatter the country as well as the world beyond had occurred. Ten years ago today, a vicious terrorist attack killed over 149 people, including 132 children. Today is the tenth anniversary of observing the tragedy. The feeling of loss and grief is as poignant as it was a decade ago.
Innocence Lost: The Attack on APS
In the cold hours of the morning, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan-affiliated militants broke into the school. Their motives were to spread panic and cause unimaginable suffering. They were fully armed, and opened fire upon school staff and teachers along with children, in a horrifying display of ultimate savagery and barbarity.
Classrooms, once places of knowledge and joy, became places of destruction. Children shook in terror and hid beneath desks. Teachers shielded the doors with their bodies. The shooters showed no mercy, and the destruction they caused left a legacy that still haunts the country.
The Unimaginable Loss of a Nation’s Future
The lives lost were young, smart minds that would one day become leaders, engineers, doctors, and artists. They were the pride of their families. Parents who sent their children to school that morning never thought it would be the last time they’d kiss them goodbye.
The attack brought an irreplaceable loss to the nation. Pakistan cried not only for the children but also for the future they represented. The nation’s very soul was permanently scarred when their hopes, goals, and potential were snuffed out in the most irrational way possible.
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The Heroes of the Day
However, stories of bravery surfaced amidst destruction. Teachers like Mr. Saeed Khan and Ms. Tahira Qazi stood like shields protecting students with their bodies. The students also showed great bravery. Many, despite their fear and injuries, helped others escape.
The first responders, among them the army and rescue teams, risked their lives to save others. Stories like these remind us of the human spirit’s resilience even in the darkest of times. Something that cannot be silenced, even in such brutality.
A Nation United in Grief and Resolve
The APS massacre destroyed Pakistan. The faces of anguished parents and blood-filled classrooms sparked grief that transcended borders.
In response to the event, the government came up with a National Action Plan (NAP), aimed at eradicating extremism and terrorism from society. It initiated a nationwide eradication process of all terrorist hideouts as part of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. Furthermore, all over the country, schools took measures that changed classrooms into fortresses.
A Decade Since Wounds that Won’t Heal
Even after a decade, the event is still fresh in the minds and hearts of Pakistanis, a constant reminder of the pain and loss inflicted. Nothing has been the same ever since for the survivors, some still experiencing flashbacks and nightmares. The families that lost their children hold an unimaginable grief, their homes still echoing with silence and sorrow.
Yearly, the nation organises memorials to remember the victims and honour their memory. Yet, the ceremonies remind the nation of lives that could have been. The issue remains as the country considers this sorrowful occasion: how can we make sure that a tragedy of this magnitude never occurs again?
Ten years have passed since that fateful day. Let us honour the memory of those who were taken from us too soon. Let us be motivated by their memories to work towards a violence-free future where all children can follow their dreams in safety and peace. Let the voices of the APS martyrs echo in our hearts, as a solemn reminder to never forget and to never stop fighting for a better tomorrow.
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