APS Peshawar attack: Judicial Commission records statement of military officer

PESHAWAR: The Judicial Commission holding inquiry into the Army Public School (APS) attack has recorded the statement of a military officer before finalising the inquiry report.

Imranullah Khan, focal person for the Judicial Commission, told The News that the commission recorded the statement of the military officer over a period of two days. He said the commission had first received a detailed written statement from the Ministry of Defence to the questionnaire sent by it. He said a week ago Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, head of the Judicial Commission, visited the APS, where he was briefed by its administration about the attack.

He said the head of the commission inspected the places of occurrence in the school along with his team consisting of Imanullah Wazir, registrar of the commission, Ajmal Tahir and Imranullah. Imranullah said the commission was briefed about the incident by Brigadier Shakirullah and Brigadier Aamir.

The focal person said the commission after fulfilling all the requirements was now finalising the inquiry report to submit it to the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

It is pertinent to mention that the commission twice extended the deadline for submission of the inquiry report. The first time the commission sought time for recording statements of a large number of parents and injured students.

He added that the second time the deadline was extended on the request of the Ministry of Defence. Imranullah said the commission had completed recording the statements of 93 parents of martyred students along with the injured students and school staff, including teachers.

He said the Judicial Commission also recorded statements of the investigation officers of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD). The CTD had already submitted record and investigation report about the APS attack to the commission.

Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, a serving judge of the Peshawar High Court is conducting the inquiry. As many as 147 people, including 132 students were martyred in the attack by the six militants affiliated with the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on December 16, 2014.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on October 5 ordered formation of the commission during his visit to SC Peshawar Registry after hearing grievances of the parents, mostly mothers of the martyred students who requested formation of the judicial commission to probe the APS carnage. Chief Justice Peshawar High Court Waqar Ahmad Seth then notified Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Khan to head the judicial commission.