APS Shuhada families to get free treatment at CMHs

PESHAWAR: In continuation of the welfare of the victim families of the martyred students of Army Public School (APS) Peshawar, the Pakistan Army has decided to provide all types of free medical facilities to the parents of APS Shuhada at the Combined Military Hospitals (CMHs).

These medical facilities will be in accordance with the policy for the entitled army personnel. According to family members of the APS Shuhada, Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and Corps Commander Peshawar Lt-Gen Shaheen Mazhar Mehmood played a significant role in providing free healthcare services to the families of APS students.

Like other parents, Tufail Khattak, who lost his young and talented son Sher Shah in the terrorist attack on the APS, appreciated the move, saying it proved that sacrifices of their children had been widely acknowledged.

"This is a landmark decision for the rehabilitation of the victim families as many parents of the martyred children are poor and are still going under stress and strains owing to the enormous tragedy and irreparable losses of their near and dear ones. Besides the parents, many surviving children as well brothers and sisters of the martyred students are still experiencing multiple psychological problems and are under treatment and stress counselling," explained Tufail Khattak.

He said that the Shuhada families deserved more for making unprecedented sacrifices. "Our children lost their lives for this country. They could have become soldiers, generals, doctors and engineers and could have become useful for their families," remarked Tufail Khattak, who was broken by the loss of his son.

He said sacrifices of the APS children prompted the government to announce the National Action Plan and helped unite the entire nation to take action against the terrorists. Tufail Khattak said it was recognition of the sacrifices of APS Peshawar. He hoped it would help many deserving families to seek a free quality of services in the military-run hospitals.

Tufail Khattak has launched an annual scholarship programme for the talented students of Government High School in his native Dag Ismailkhel village in Nowshera district to pay homage to his martyred son. The school has been named after Sher Shah Shaheed. The scholarship programme has been helping dozens of poor, but talented students of the school. This year the number of students was increased and some students of a private school were given the scholarship for their achievements.