PESHAWAR: Another student of the Army Public School died of critical injuries at a local hospital on Saturday, increasing the death toll from the Dec 16, 2014 massacre to 154.

Ishaq Ameen, student of intermediate 2nd year, expired at the Combined Military Hospital after remaining under treatment for over two months.

He received bullet wounds in the face and head.

The college boy had been in critical condition since he was admitted to the hospital though he underwent several surgeries.

“Ishaq Ameen remained in a coma for two weeks before passing away,” Ibrar Ahmad, general secretary of the Ghazi and Shuhada Forum, told Dawn.

Death toll from Dec 16 massacre increases to 154

The deceased’s brother, Umar Ameen, who also suffered injuries in the school attack, is under treatment at the Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi.

Later at night, the funeral prayer of Ishaq was offered at the Asif Baghi ground in Nothia area.

The people, especially parents and relatives of the slain and injured APS students, attended it in large numbers.

Moving scenes were seen on the occasion as the death of Ishaq Ameen rekindled the grief of the families of the APS students.

Ibrar Ahmad said 26 injured APS students and staff members had been shifted to the Aga Khan Hospital University Karachi for treatment lately.

Asked why Ishaq Ameen was not shifted to Karachi for treatment, he said since the student was in a coma, doctors had warned his life could be in danger if he was taken out of the premises.

According to him, initially, the Ghazi and Shuhada Forum arranged money from its own resources for the treatment of the injured students at the Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi but later, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government announced Rs45 million for the purpose.

Ibrar Ahmad said Rs1.5 million had been approved by the medical board for the treatment of injured students each and that parents would receive the cheque on next Monday or Tuesday.

When contacted, Peshawar deputy commissioner Riaz Mehsud said the death toll from the APS massacre had reached 154, including 144 students.

It is worth mentioning that one of the injured APS students, Ahmad Nawaz, has already left for the United Kingdom for treatment.

The federal government released Rs34 million and the provincial government Rs3.5 million for his treatment abroad.

Since the APS carnage, parents of the slain and injured students have repeatedly complained both the federal and provincial governments have little interest in investigating the Dec 16 killings.

They held several news conferences and rallies to criticise both governments for not conducting the probe.

The parents have been demanding a judicial inquiry into the killings to fix responsibility for action.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play