Chehlum for APS victims: Parents protest against KP govt

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Chehlum for APS victims: Parents protest against KP govt

Dawn.com Published January 20, 2015

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PESHAWAR: Parents of children injured in the deadly massacre at the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar last month came out in protest outside the Chief Minister (CM) house on Tuesday, saying they were shunned by government officials when they inquired about the medical treatment of their children.

The parents had been invited to the chief minister house to observe the 40-day mark (Chehlum) of the deadly attack that took the lives of 132 children.

Parents say government officials pushed them aside and refused to listen to their complaints. The father of two boys injured in the attack, Muhammad Nawaz said he had intended to speak with the chief minister about his failure to send one of his sons abroad for treatment as promised, but the chief minister declined to respond.

He alleged that Member of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Shaukat Ali Yousafzai resorted to name-calling. About 15 to 20 parents left the memorial ceremony as lunch was served and gathered outside for the protest.

“Today the behaviour of the chief minister was very inappropriate, he pushed me away,” he told reporters outside the chief minister house.

The parents also expressed reservations against PTI members who they say bad-mouthed them on television shows on the day when Imran Khan visited APS Peshawar.

PTI representative Amjad Afridi apologised to the parents and said that it was against custom to disrespect guests.

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its me

Jan 20, 2015 05:24pm

he pushed them? sounds real?????????

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Talha

Jan 20, 2015 05:26pm

Tough times for these parents and they are rightly frustrated. We should not solely put the burden on the KPK government. I suggest that we as a nation should create a fund for the treatment of the injured children of APS Peshawar and I think that is the least we can do for our brothers and sisters who find themselves in tough times.

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Farah

Jan 20, 2015 05:38pm

If this is true, PTI leadership is losing it.

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Riaz

Jan 20, 2015 05:42pm

Very sad; Mr CM; why spend government money for cheap publicity while you don't have manners to host grieved parents and you hurt them instead?

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myselfy

Jan 20, 2015 05:47pm

With power comes responsibility. If you are hungry for power, then be equally responsible to the people who brought you to power. I'm strongly against this notion of constantly creating community fund for everything. Why do we pay taxes then? Why do we vote for public representatives? It is their duty to cater for the needs. If they can buy expensive villas, toyota land cruisers and spend on their dharnas, then they can send the injured for medical treatment abroad. It's about time all political parties get their act together and stop playing politics over innocent lives. Those that claim PPP is worse than PMLN, or PMLN are worse than PTI - they keep forgetting that its the same people who have just jumped from one party to another. Their self interests remain where they were years ago. There is no Naya or Purana Pakistan. There is just Pakistan, the same that was created by Quaid and gifted by Allah. We as a nation need to fix ourselves otherwise we'll keep getting the same rubbish leaders thrust upon us year after year.

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Taimur

Jan 20, 2015 06:00pm

May be PTI government is afraid that if they will punish the terrorists for thsi act then the will lose confidence of TTP which PTI and PLMN have gained over years after justifying every terrorist act

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ash

Jan 20, 2015 06:10pm

IK is unable to put the spirit among his close aids even.. IK should take serious notice of CM attitude and take appropriate action if he finds guilty. Otherwise PTI will very fast loose credibility,,,

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Awais Ali

Jan 20, 2015 06:30pm

this is news from one side the other side is that IK has ensured all parents about the treatment of their injured members in Shaukat Khanam free of cost otherwise he promise to sponsor them abroad for treatment. I think dawn should also publish it. Why one side of news?

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reality bites

Jan 20, 2015 06:37pm

The only way to make things better in KPK is for the PTI lead government to produce results, not just rhetoric. Stand up to the extremists instead of treading softly around the issue. Pervez Kattak is not an effective cm.

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Rashid

Jan 20, 2015 06:53pm

People of Peshawar have a right to protest as IK wanted the TTP's office opened in Pakistan, IK and PTI fans even supported this notion.

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Ahmer

Jan 20, 2015 06:54pm

Sad that their children died but they should not play partisan politics and malign the PTI Govt over the tragedy.

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Khan-Haqiqi

Jan 20, 2015 07:00pm

Shameful act of CM KPK who doesn't have basic manners and arrogant , I have seen him on TV he lacks basic courtesy

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hira shah

Jan 20, 2015 07:14pm

IK wanted to go to umrah so KPK govt observed martyrs chehlum few days earlier. Even if they did isn't it was better if IK have visited those effected families and injured children in hospital........Its very sad how KPK govt is treating those children families, its not the first time they complained against CM attitude and still there is no apologies from CM and IK.......we have reached a level where all politicians have became heartless no matter what parties they belong.

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Ali

Jan 20, 2015 07:40pm

@Awais Ali Promising is one thing and doing something concrete is another. I think that is what the parents are complaining about, only baseless promises.

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Ahmed

Jan 20, 2015 07:55pm

one parent register complained out of 150 family at chealum at CM House

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Khan

Jan 20, 2015 07:59pm

Most commentators have been presumptuous and unreasonable. The protesting person acted out of line and lacked understanding dignity of the occasion. I do not believe a word he said on camera. In fact it looked preplanned. He achieved what he wanted but it will be purely politics as Nawaz Sharif has shown by his so-called 'notice'. We all have a mean streak in us . The wise never use it the others do without knowing it as did Mr PM.

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Thoroughthinker

Jan 20, 2015 08:30pm

Officials pushed them aside and refused to listen to their complaints because they only make promises for their political mileages, not for unfortunate people hardest hit by tragedies or calamities, not to talk of routine indifference we see every day-----and this is the very presentable corruption-free government moving on its fast track to "New KPK" !.

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Nasser Khan

Jan 20, 2015 08:40pm

Imran Khan and PTI including all its leaders are the most hyped up political group of people i have ever seen in Pakistan, They are quite incompetent. There is no doubt that he is very popular in masses but his decisions and statements regarding various issues have really disappointed me.

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Salim Khan

Jan 20, 2015 08:55pm

We must be civil and show a lot of respect to these parents. They are going through a very hard time and we should be respectful.

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Minhal

Jan 20, 2015 09:34pm

i don't know where were these voices when the army chief visited the APS...

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Awais Ali

Jan 20, 2015 10:32pm

@Ali He also ensured that if promises will not be fulfilled then they can protest even in Bani Gala. At least he is ensuring and offering them something. What about PPP, PML-N, MQM and others what they offer them? specially PM of Pakistan and federal ministerS? did they even visit APS? It seems like its only only and only IK,s responsibility. Others are just playing only politics

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ziavrep labqi

Jan 20, 2015 10:38pm

@Talha The whole nation has been engulfed by grief, sorrow and anger at the tragedy that struck APS, Peshawar, on 16 Dec 2014. The pain and anguish of the bereaved families has been felt and shared by every Pakistani. Its time we did something tangible to express our solidarity with the affected families. I support your proposal for setting up a fund to raise money through volutary contribution by the general public for providing best possible medical treatment from anywhere in the world to the injured students and staff members of APS, Peshawar. The fund may preferably be set up under the supervision and control of Pak Army. I am confident that people will contribute generously to the fund. The fund may additionally be utilized for raising monuments to the memory of the APS martyrs in all the provincial capitals.

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ali

Jan 20, 2015 11:27pm

@Talha PTI supporter. It's KPK government job. Don't be ignorant.

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ali

Jan 20, 2015 11:30pm

@Awais Ali shaukat khanam is cancer hospital....

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Truth

Jan 21, 2015 04:41pm

@Awais Ali Yes, IK also promised that if he ever heard "Go Imran Go" in KPK, he would immediately quit politics. The fact of the matter is that he heard these slogans during APS visit but he did not quit politics. See howwwwww different he is.

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Truth

Jan 21, 2015 04:42pm

@Awais Ali It is clear that the one whih is not performing its duty is being bashed by the parents.

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Riaz

Jan 21, 2015 08:05pm

APS terror attack was a very sad incident for the nation in general and the parents of the students in particular. The entire nation is grieved and has deep sympathy with the families of the deceased students. KPK government instead of giving due respect to the parents and those injured students, is now trying to win their favours by increasing compensation amount for deceased to Rs.2.000M; why? Were they the earning members of their families? Why is KPK government trying to buy support with national money? KPK government should ensure medical treatment for the injured and financial assistance for the parents , where needed.

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Awais Ali

Jan 21, 2015 10:19pm

@Truth you are misquoting about IK. He always said that if someone will protest against me in KPK on election rigging i will immediately quit my govt and will announce re-election in KPK. you are quoting out of context. Your nick name is truth but you are misguiding this nation like Parvaiz Rashid.

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Paki

Jan 22, 2015 12:48pm

Why the rest of the parents did not protest??? Why only 1 or 2 parents protested???

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