APS attack probe commission calls military officer to record statement

PESHAWAR: A senior military officer has been called again by the Judicial Commission investigating the 2014 Army Public School (APS) Peshawar carnage to record statement about the incident.

Imranullah Khan, focal person for the probe commission, told media persons on Monday that Director General Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) Major General Inam Haider Malik has been called to complete his statement before the commission. The focal person said Major General Inam Haider was a brigadier at that time who conducted investigation into the tragic incident, in which 147 people, mostly students, lost their lives.

The military officer appeared before the commission for two days and recorded statement, but it is still incomplete. Details have been sought from the personal secretary of the military officer about his engagements this week.

The probe commission was formed by the Peshawar High Court on October 12, 2018 on the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and it became functional on October 19, 2018. Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar had promised the parents of the APS martyrs that he will take steps for judicial inquiry in the tragic incident.

Imranullah Khan said the commission of Justice Mohammad Ibrahim Khan of the Peshawar High Court had sent a letter to the Defence Ministry on February 11 for the appearance of eight military officers including Major-General Inam Haider. The commission had also shared dates with the Defence Ministry for recording statements. However, the officers at that time were not available for recording statement due to their other engagements owing to Pakistan-India border tensions after the Pulwama incident. The ministry had said that the officers will be available for recording statement after improvement in the situation.

The focal person said keeping in view the sensitivity of the issue, all the statements are being recorded in camera. He said the commission has recorded the statements of 149 people so far. Those who have recorded statements include military officers, police officials, injured students and parents of the martyred children.

On December 16, 2014, terrorists attacked APS Peshawar and martyred 147 people, mostly students. All the attackers were also killed in a military operation. The APS attack is considered the worst terrorist attack in the history of the country.