–KP advocate general tells CJP report of judicial commission yet to be finalised
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday disposed of the Army Public School (APS) carnage case after it was informed that the judicial commission’s report is yet to be finalised.
In the deadliest terror attack in the country’s history, 131 schoolchildren and 10 other people were killed when heavily armed terrorists stormed the school building on Dec 16, 2014.
The chief justice had taken suo motu notice of the matter on April 19, last year when parents of the martyred children requested him to order a judicial inquiry into the carnage while he was on a visit to the Supreme Court’s Peshawar registry.
The parents had complained that some weeks before the APS carnage, the authorities concerned were alerted by the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) about a terrorist threat to attack an army-run educational institution, possibly the Peshawar APS. However, they said, no steps were taken to prevent the attack.
Subsequently, the apex court had ordered the formation of a judicial commission on an application submitted by APS Martyrs Forum — led by mothers of the victims. The application requested the court to put pressure on the government to punish those involved in the attack and those who failed to protect the children.
The parents said they had been demanding justice for over three years now and had been putting forward their request for a judicial inquiry at different forums but to no avail.
In the hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar inquired of the progress made by the judicial commission and asked if it has submitted a report.
At this, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) advocate general told the top judge that 147 testimonies have been recorded but another 109 are still pending. Until the testimonies are complete, a report cannot be furnished, he added.
At that note, Justice Nisar directed to dispose of the case and ordered for the report to be produced in court when it is complete.