It has been a decade since the brutal terrorist attack on the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar on December 16, 2014, but the scars left on the hearts of the families who lost their children that day remain as fresh as ever. The pain and sorrow felt by the parents, siblings, and loved ones of the victims continue to define their lives, despite the passage of ten long years. For these families, time has done little to numb the anguish they feel every time they remember that fateful day when 147 innocent souls, including 132 children, were gunned down by terrorists in a heinous act of violence.
In fact, as the years go by, the grief has only deepened, and the wound remains as raw as it was on the day of the attack. For the parents, no amount of time can ever erase the images of their children running for their lives, terror-stricken and helpless, before being sprayed with bullets by the heartless militants. No years of healing can ever erase the loss of a child, and for the families of APS martyrs, the memories are as vivid and painful as ever.
The Attack on APS: A Brutal Assault on Innocence
The massacre that unfolded at the Army Public School was not just an attack on a school; it was a direct assault on the future of Pakistan itself. The attackers, members of the Pakistani Taliban, infiltrated the school and opened fire on students, teachers, and staff members in a systematic and ruthless manner. In total, 147 people were killed, including 132 students and the school principal, Tahira Qazi. Most of the students were in their teens, with a bright future ahead of them, but their lives were tragically cut short by the terrorists’ bloodlust.
The attack lasted for several hours, as the gunmen held the school under siege, and children and teachers alike were trapped in classrooms, some of which had been turned into death chambers. Survivors have since shared harrowing accounts of the massacre, detailing how their friends and classmates were gunned down in cold blood. The sounds of screaming children, gunfire, and explosions reverberated in the school halls, turning what should have been a place of learning and safety into a scene of unimaginable horror. The attack was one of the deadliest and most violent acts of terrorism in Pakistan’s history, and it left a profound impact on the entire nation.
An Endless Grief: The Parents’ Suffering
For the families who lost loved ones in the APS attack, the grief has never subsided. It has been a decade, but the pain remains as intense as ever. Many parents recount how, even after ten years, they cannot talk about their children without tears filling their eyes. The memories of their children, so full of life and promise, haunt them every single day. The image of their child in a school uniform, a backpack on their back, walking out the door for what would be their last day of school, is a memory they can never forget.
Even ten years later, many parents and siblings have not been able to move on. They continue to live in the shadow of that day, and the loss remains as overwhelming as it was on the day their children were taken from them. “I feel like my son is still with me,” says the father of Muhammad Ali, a ninth-grade student who was martyred that day. “The books, the school bag, and even the uniform he left behind, all remind me of him. He is gone, but I still live with him through his memories.” For many parents like him, these items have become sacred relics that they cling to as the only tangible connection they have left to their children.
For others, the grief is so profound that it has altered the very fabric of their lives. Professor Altaf Hussain, who lost his six-year-old daughter Khuala on her first day of school at APS, has spoken publicly about the pain he carries with him every day. “The screams of children, the sound of gunfire, and the sight of bodies bathed in blood, are not just memories—they are scenes that play over and over in my mind,” he says. “It’s like I am forced to witness them daily.”
As a professor of English literature at APS, Professor Hussain’s life has been irrevocably shaped by the tragedy. The loss of his daughter is something he cannot escape, and his grief has only deepened with time. His voice trembles when he speaks of Khuala, a little girl who had just started her academic journey but never had the chance to grow up. For him, the images of that day are burned into his soul.
The Lost Dreams: Asfand Khan’s Story
Among the many bright futures that were cut short on December 16, 2014, one particularly heartbreaking story is that of Asfand Khan. A tenth-grade student with a deep passion for law, Asfand dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a lawyer. He had always spoken of his desire to represent the downtrodden and fight for justice for those who had no voice. He was dedicated to his studies and was well on his way to achieving his goals when the terrorists took his life.
Asfand’s mother recalls how her son was always full of ambition, determined to make a difference in the world. “He loved the law,” she says, her eyes welling up with tears. “He talked about becoming a lawyer every day. He would have made a great one.” His dreams, however, were stolen that day along with his life. His younger brother, now completing his matriculation, has made it his mission to fulfill Asfand’s dream. “I will become a lawyer for him,” he vows, “and I will carry his legacy forward.”
Asfand’s family continues to honor his memory in the only way they can—by cherishing the items he left behind. His school bag, uniform, books, and other belongings remain untouched in their home, just as they were when he last carried them. These items are the only physical reminders they have of a child who was full of promise, who should have had a long and successful life ahead of him, but whose future was stolen in a moment of senseless violence.
A Memorial to the Martyrs
In an effort to honor the memory of those who perished in the APS attack, a memorial has been erected at the school. The memorial serves as a place for the nation to remember the sacrifices of these young martyrs and to reflect on the profound impact of the tragedy. Every year, on the anniversary of the attack, the nation comes together to pay tribute to the children who lost their lives and to stand in solidarity with their families.
For the families of the martyrs, the memorial is both a place of mourning and a symbol of their enduring love for their children. Prayer ceremonies are held in homes across the country, as families continue to grieve the loss of their beloved children. These ceremonies are a means of keeping the memories of the martyrs alive, even as time continues to march forward.
An Eternal Grief
The parents of the 144 children martyred at APS have experienced a loss unlike any other. The pain they feel is eternal. The memories of their children, their laughter, their dreams, and their potential, will never fade, even as the years go by. The grief of losing a child is an ache that never truly subsides, and for the parents of the APS martyrs, it is a pain they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
A decade may have passed since the tragedy, but for the families of those lost in the APS attack, the grief is not bound by time. It is a part of them, woven into the fabric of their lives, and it will never be erased.
