They died with their boots on
By Khazima Munaf
With 141 dead, 16th Dec 2014 will most definitely be one of the darkest days in Pakistan’s history. But to what end? COAS General Bajwa laid a wreath and offered Fatiha today as he attended the second anniversary of the APS school attack. The memorial somberly reflected on the lives lost that unfortunate morning two years back and congratulated the nation to have succeeded in fighting that helplessness and fought both literal and figurative battles against terrorism.
General Qamar Bajwa said he views pictures of APS victims to keep his patriotism alive and reaffirmed that with Nawaz Sharif the army will continue its pledged struggle against militancy to live up to the expectations of the bereaved families of APS victims. He said, “The blood of APS victims is an obligation on the nation and the armed forces ,” while addressing the memorial.
The incumbent principal of the military run school payed tribute to the victims, their families and soldiers of the country who have bravely embraced this battle of nation’s survival since the start of Zarb e Azb.
The gruesome massacre united Pakistan’s rhetoric in favor of the operation against militants making subscribers of the good and bad Taliban keep a low-key profile. Though the attack’s mastermind and his facilitators have been brought to justice, the grieving parents continue to call for a judicial inquiry to unmask those responsible for the deadly assault and high number of casualties.
Since that bloodbath, according to the state narrative, the political and military leadership has launched a comprehensive national strategy to rid Pakistan of this menace. Very few acknowledge that these children and other victims paid the price of nations deeply flawed foreign policy that a decade and a half back touted their flagrant sponsorship to all shades of terrorism in the name of national interest. Despite our vociferous declarations that emphasize our commitment to the fight against terrorism, Pakistan today is being marginalized internationally and mistrusted .
Things apparently are normal for the school today. The auditorium where the worst of the killings took place, is now a sports hall. It is a garrison with fortified walls with soldiers atop them for patrol. But the haunted eyes of the survivors are a glaring reminder of how fresh the attack is for them. How our choices have wronged our children.
