PESHAWAR: The parents of the killed students of Army Public School Peshawar have praised the efforts of civil and military leadership for uprooting the scourge of terrorism and vowed to render more sacrifices for their motherland and restoration of peace in the country.

Addressing an emergency press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Monday, Mian Amir Kakakhel, a member of APS Shuhada and Ghazi Forum, said that security forces scaled up their ongoing action against militants in the tribal region and killed masterminds of Peshawar school attack.

He said that it was highly appreciable and commendable. “We are with Pakistan Army in its struggle for eradicating terrorism from the country,” Mr Kakakhel said. He pledged to render more sacrifices for the protection of their motherland.

Appreciating the entire nation for sharing their grief and extending support in difficult situation, he urged the nation to support security forces to make the country a cradle of peace.

Flanked by other parents of the killed students, Mr Kakakhel also expressed special gratitude for Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif, Corps Commander Peshawar Gen Hidayatur Rehman, President Mamnoon Hussain, and governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh for their cooperation and support.

He said that civil and military leadership assured them to send more surviving students of Army Public School abroad for medical treatment.

Earlier, Mr Kakakhel said, the parents of killed students of APS were not invited to Pakistan Day ceremony held at Governor’s House Peshawar but later on the request of the provincial government they were allowed to attend the function.

He appreciated the honour and respect given by Pakistan Army to the killed children.

He also mentioned the development of differences among the Shuhada and Ghazi Forum. It was decided that Qasir Ali Khan would remain coordinator of the forum to deal with any official and non-official matter till election of the new cabinet of the forum, he added.

The forum, Mr Kakakhel said, had decided to remove its president Abid Raza Bangash and Advocate Ajun Khan owing to some differences with them.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2015

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