Even after seven painful years, heirs to the Army Public School (APS) martyrs say they have not been given justice. Instead, to add insult to injury, it was announced by the prime minister that all those who were affiliated with terrorist organizations, but now want to rejoin society are welcome to do so without any retribution. The government is hell bent on negotiating with terrorists without even giving an atom’s weight of consideration to all those affected by attacks carried out by these terrorists. Parents of the little children who were brutally killed in the APS attack have been standing outside courts begging for justice, but to no avail.
The prime minister, after being summoned to the Supreme Court earlier this week, that too on a short notice, stated that the government is ready to implement whatever orders the apex court gives in the APS attack case. However, previous court orders were not implemented by the government and neither were they conveyed to the prime minister. Although the prime minister has stated that justice will be given, the likelihood of this happening is a long shot.
The situation now is as such as all those who had the duty to preempt this attack are now retired and are enjoying life aloof to what is happening in courts. The prime minister promised to ensure proper justice in accordance with law against those who failed to perform their duties but only time will tell if this proper justice is given. Moreover, Prime Minister Khan once again played the blame game in which he completely changed the narrative of the conversation and swayed it away from its true purpose. The court hearing was about the APS attack and its victims who have still not been given justice but the premier thought it important to mention that Gen Musharraf and his government allowed an ally country to bomb and kill 80,000 people. The irony is that Khan’s government mostly comprises those who worked closely with General Musharraf and fully supported his antics.
Seeking justice in this country is a long and tiring process as all those who are there to provide it choose to play the blame game instead of connecting to the victims at a human level. The tragedy that struck the victims of the APS attack is unfathomable by other people. Another great tragedy is that in order to seek justice, mothers have to stand outside courts to demand justice while the perpetrators are being offered a seat at the negotiating table.
