PESHAWAR: Parents whose children died in the 2014 Army Public School massacre in Peshawar have welcomed the announcement of judicial commission into the incident, saying that it offers the only ray of hope of securing an impartial inquiry.
The Taliban’s attack on Dec. 16, 2014 killed 147, including 122 students.
On 9 May, a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar ordered the setting up of a judicial commission to probe the incident and compile the report within two months.
Parents of the child victims have long been demanding a thorough inquiry to investigate who was responsible for the security and intelligence failures that allowed terrorists to attack the army-run school.
Ajun Khan, whose son Asfan, was killed in the attack, told Arab News: “Those responsible for security should be brought to justice.
“A joint inquiry was conducted by the army and police soon after the attack, but the inquiry (report) is still a secret.” He added that a meeting to lobby the provincial government, as well as an approach to the Prime Minister, had both failed to produce answers.
Falak Naz, who lost her sons Noorullah Durrani and Saifullah Durrani, said the campaign for information would continue until they had answers.
“Our question is how the terrorists came to know children were in the auditorium? The school has huge premises and the attackers reached the auditorium directly and killed the students,” she said.
Militant gunmen fired shots into the school hall where 25 pupils were sitting for a chemistry exam, only two of the pupils survived.
A senior Supreme Court lawyer, Noor Alam, said the remit of the judicial commission would be to determine responsibility.
He added that a judicial officer appointed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province government would head the commission and that after the commission was set up a public appeal would be issued asking people to come forward with information about the incident.
In February this year the Peshawar High Court dismissed a petition from the APS parents for a judicial commission on the grounds that it was the mandate of the government.
The Pakistan Taliban claimed the responsibility for the attack.
The army executed at least four of the terrorists involved in the school attack after trying them in a military court.
Families of victims of army school massacre welcome judicial inquiry
Families of victims of army school massacre welcome judicial inquiry
- The Taliban attacked the school in Peshawar on Dec.16 2014, killing 147 people, including 122 students
- Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar ordered a judicial commission to probe the terror attack and compile a report within two months
Ireland moves to buy military radar system from France
- The EU member “will now immediately commence detailed negotiations with France on a potential agreement“
- Media reports estimate the cost of the new MRP system at $350-$585 million
DUBLIN: Ireland said Wednesday it plans to buy a multi-million euro military radar system from France as it prepares to host the rotating EU presidency next year amid concerns over its defense capability.
The EU member “will now immediately commence detailed negotiations with France on a potential agreement” following cabinet approval, said a statement on the government website.
A government-level approach with one country was “the only feasible way for Ireland to develop the required radar capabilities,” it said.
“This approach guarantees the use of the experience and knowledge of a trusted partner country which cannot be provided through any other option,” it said.
Media reports estimate the cost of the new “Military Radar Programme” (MRP) system at between 300 and 500 million euros ($350-$585 million).
The move comes after several unidentified drones blamed on pro-Russian actors were spotted off the Irish coast near Dublin around the time Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the Irish capital for a one-day visit earlier this month.
The incident emerged in a local media report only after Zelensky had left Ireland, sparking doubts over its defense capability.
The militarily neutral country which will host EU leaders summit meetings when it takes over the six-month bloc presidency in July next year maintains a small army and has no combat air force or large naval fleet.
The government is also “in final negotiations to conclude a contract before the end of the year” to provide counter-drone technology in advance of the EU presidency, Defense Minister Helen McEntee said in a statement on Wednesday.
“My department will work with the (Irish) Defense Forces to ensure that they have the capacity to identify and neutralize threats posed by drones,” she said.
