APS massacre: SC orders AAG to get instructions from govt over commission report

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the additional attorney general (AAG) to get instructions from the federal government on the inquiry commission report on the Army Public School (APS) carnage. A two-member judge bench headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed heard suo moto on the APS Peshawar tragedy.

Former chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar on the request of the victims' parents had taken suo motu of the incident. The bench handed over the commission's report to the AAG, Sajid Illyas Bhatti, in a sealed envelop with the direction to get instructions from the federal government.

At least 140 persons, majority of them children, were martyred, when militants stormed the school on December 16, 2014 - making it one of the most traumatising attacks in the history of the country.

Ex-CJP Saqib Nisar in October 2018 had set up a one-man judicial commission headed by Justice Ibrahim Khan, a judge of the Peshawar High Court. The commission was made after the parents of the children demanded the authorities form a high-level inquiry commission to investigate the massacre. The commission recorded the statements of 101 witnesses and 31 policemen and other officials of law enforcement agencies for its 3,000 page report. During the proceeding, around 50 mothers and fathers of the APS martyrs were present in the courtroom.

A mother of an APS martyr asked the chief justice to supply copy of the report. However, Justice Ijazul Ahsan said it was "confidential", adding they had not read it yet. He said the report would first go to the government. The martyr's mother said, "[The] Commission's report is not more sensitive than our children. We want justice."

The chief justice said they had their sympathy. "Whatever happened was very tragic," he said, and added: "It was Allah's will and they cannot reverse the things."

Justice Ijaz said, therefore, the apex court had constituted the judicial commission to probe the matter. "Today we have received the report, which comprises six volumes," he stated.

The chief justice said they would render justice in accordance with the law and Constitution. A mother of another martyr said the commission was formed after their struggle. The CJP stated that the apex court had constituted the commission, adding the law would take its own course.

Another mother said that they could not live in Pakistan as their children were not secure. Upon that Justice Gulzar asked the lady, "Don't say this, there is rule of law in the country," adding they would decide the matter in accordance with the law. He said that after examining the report and the government's reply, they would proceed with the matter.

The court handing over report to the AAG adjourned the case for four weeks. After the hearing, the parents of the APS martyrs told media persons that six years after the tragic incident they were still waiting for justice. "One hundred and forty persons, including students and teachers killed, but no action has been taken against the culprits," they said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020