The Supreme Court has directed Prime Minister Imran Khan to appear before it on Wednesday (today) in connection with the Army Public School (APS) attack case.
During the last hearing, a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed, had directed the attorney general to inform the court about the steps taken by the government to redress the grievances of the parents of children martyred in the attack on APS on Dec 16, 2014.
A total of 147 people, 132 of them children, were martyred when militants stormed the APS-Warsak School, in Peshawar, almost seven years ago.
In today’s hearing, the chief justice asked Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan whether the prime minister had read the court’s order. In response, the AGP informed the court that the order had not been sent to the premier, adding that he would inform PM Imran about it.
“Is the level of seriousness?” CJP Ahmed asked. “Call the prime minister, we will talk to him ourselves. This cannot go on.”
The AGP, on behalf of the government, said that “we accept all our mistakes”.
The parents had demanded the registration of a first information report (FIR) against those civilian and military officials who, they believe, were responsible for security measures at the school, at the last hearing.
During the proceedings today, the AGP said “no FIR could not be registered against higher-ups”.
Talks with TTP
Justice Qazi Mohammad Amin Ahmed observed that there were reports the government is negotiating with some group — an apparent reference to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
“Is it not the state’s job to go after and catch the true culprits?” he questioned.
Chief Justice Ahmed remarked that the court “could not leave children to die in schools”.
Action had been taken against the school’s guards and soldiers, however, the accountability process should have started from the top, he added.
“The higher-ups took salaries and benefits and left.”
