Judicial inquiry report on APS attack made public on SC's order

Failed security arrangements and patrolling at the school were declared as reason behind the mishap

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The report of judicial inquiry commission on Army Public School (APS) attack has been made public today (Friday) on the orders of Supreme Court (SC).

A 3,000-page report of the commission, established in 2018 by former Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, contains the statements of 132 people including 31 policemen, Pakistan Army officers, 101 witnesses and others. The report found failed security arrangements and patrolling at the school as reason behind the mishap. The terrorists entered the school from the back side without any retaliation. Equally, incomprehensible is the inertia on part of the Askari Guards as well as the deputed Static Guards to the initial heavy firing and blasts by terrorists until MVT-2 and Quick Reaction Force (QRF) arrived, the report read. Though the other MVT responded but wasn’t capable to buy the needed time for QRF and Rapid Response Force (RRF) to overwhelm the terrorists’ attack before it could cause catastrophe, it further added. Earlier today, the apex court conducted suo motu hearing of the APS incident. Parents of the martyred children appeared before the court and maintained that only the accountability of higher officials will fix the system.

The parents said, “The incident was not an act of terrorism. It was target killing as all students were gathered in one hall with planning. We do not want that children of any other person become victims of such act again.”

The attorney general submitted reply in the court over the inquiry commission report and said every possible action against the responsible persons is being taken.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed ordered to initiate the action from top officials so that such incidents could be avoided in future. Justice Ijazul Ahsan remarked that the entire nation feels the grief of the APS case.

The CJP accepted the parents’ request to participate in the prayer ceremony on December 16. The hearing was adjourned for one month. 

APS attack

On December 16 in 2014, six terrorists affiliated with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had stormed the APS in Peshawar and martyred one hundred and forty-seven students and teachers.

The deadliest attack in Pakistan’s history, the carnage prompted the government to declare an all-out war against terrorist outfits. In the wake of the attack, military courts were set up for trying terrorists under amendments made to the Constitution and the Army Act.

The mastermind of the APS massacre, Umar Mansour, was killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan.

Four terrorists involved in Peshawar APS attack hanged

In 2015, four terrorists involved in APS attack were hanged in Kohat prison.

In November, 2015, then Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif had singed black warrants of convicts Maulvi Abdus Salam S/O Shamsi, Hazrat Ali S/O Awal Baz Khan, Mujeeb ur Rehman alias Ali alias Najeeb Ullah S/O Gulab Jan and Sabeel alias Yaya S/O Atta Ullah.