ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) on Wednesday ordered the federal government to take action against officials who had shown negligence in the Army Public School (APS) tragedy and asked prime minister, Imran Khan, about the steps taken by his government to bring those responsible to justice.
The 4-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, instructed the government to submit a report – signed by the premier – in this regard in four weeks.
The attack on APS in Peshawar 2014 had shocked the nation. The militant assault on December 16, 2014, martyred more than 145, most of them school students.
The premier, after being summoned to the apex court, arrived in the courtroom and was accompanied by Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid and Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry.
Appearing before the bench, the prime minister assured that the state will ensure proper justice and take to task those who were responsible or failed to fulfil their duties.
The chief justice then asked the premier regarding the steps taken by the state to provide justice to the parents of APS martyrs.
When the prime minister replied that he was not in power at the time, the CJP countered and asked what has the incumbent government done to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“According to media reports, you are negotiating with these people,” Justice Qazi Amin remarked. The prime minister replied that he should be given a chance to speak and he can explain the points raised “one by one”.
Justice Gulzar added that the court has nothing to do with the prime minister’s policy decisions and the bench would like to know why the culprits of the massacre could not be traced even after years of the attack.
At the time of the tragedy, our party was in power in K-P and we had taken all possible steps, the premier replied.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan said that according to the earlier report, no special measures had been taken to ensure security, with Justice Gulzar adding that according to the Constitution, the protection of the people is the responsibility of the state.
“80,000 people were martyred in the war against terror,” PM Imran said. “I said at the time that this is America’s war, we should not interfere.” He added that he had maintained that Pakistan should “remain neutral” as the country was not involved in the 9/11 attacks.
To this, Justice Qazi Amin replied that there is no need to go back in time.
“We made a National Action Plan after the tragedy,” the PM replied. “We won the war because the whole nation stood with Pakistan Army. We have formed the National Intelligence Coordination Committee which is looking into the matter.”
Justice Ijazul Ahsan said to the premier that he is in power and it was his responsibility to take care of the martyred children’s parents.
“I have met the parents of the children many times”, Imran replied.
Apex bench member Justice Qazi Amin remarked that there were reports of the state negotiating with the banned group.
“Is it not the job of the state to find and catch the real culprits?” the justice asked.
The CJP also questioned the workings of the country’s intelligence apparatus and wondered why the people are not protected and added that the children of the country can not be left to die in schools.
Earlier, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary announced that the interim Afghan government-backed talks between the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) with both sides agreeing to a complete ceasefire.
The ceasefire began on November 9 and will run until December 9, unless both sides agreed to an extension.