A special ceremony was arranged here to pay tributes to the students and staff members, who lost lives in the gruesome attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar on December 16, 2014. The function was arranged by the Gandhara Hindko Board at the Gandhara Hindko Academy. A book of English poetry titled "Carnage in December" was also launched on the occasion. Composed by a noted poet and former chief secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ejaz Rahim, poems in the 120-page publication have been dedicated to all mothers.

It is the 20th book by the writer. He is a close relative of a brave and fearless police official, Safwat Ghayur, who laid down his life in the line of duty on August 4, 2010 while serving as the commandant of the Frontier Constabulary.

The function, largely attended by the family members of the martyrs, had some unique features. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Deputy Speaker Dr Meher Taj Roghani of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Isaf, Jamaat-e-Ismali Member Provincial Assembly Rashda Riffat, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA Aamna Sardar, JI District Council member Humera Nayyar and Qaumi Watan Party leader Meraj Humayun Khan attended the ceremony and spoke on the occasion. However, the organisers declared all the grieving parents of the martyrs as chief guests.

A Hindko language research scholar, Muhammad Ziauddin, said the sacrifice of the APS children and staff members had become an unforgettable part of our history. He paid tributes to the slain children and staff, saying the affected families were not grieving alone. "The entire nation shares your grief," said the writer while reassuring the parents and siblings of the martyrs.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2016