‘Don’t fire at me and my children’‘Don’t fire at me and my children’

Altaf Hussain Altaf Hussain Age: 42Age: 42

The day of the attack was his6-year-old daughter Khaula’sfirst day at school

‘Don’t fire at me and my children’‘Don’t fire at me and my children’Altaf Hussain had been teaching English at APS for 15years. The day of the attack was his 6-year-old daughterKhaula’s first day at school. They were completing heradmission form when the firing started. He handed hisdaughter over to another teacher. Both were killed soonafter.

Meanwhile, Hussain ran outside and confronted threearmed men. He pointed to his beard and said, “Look atthis. Don’t fire at me and my children.” The assailantsresponded with bullets and left him there to die. Despite eight bullets in his body that rendered himimmobile, Hussain managed to drag himself inside aroom and lock the door behind him. Army personnelshowed up a few hours later; he was finally rescued onlyto be informed that his daughter had been killed. Hussain rejoined APS in May and teaches a different classnow. His stamina has suffered greatly, and going to theschool is an ordeal for him. But he feels it is necessary tobe courageous and show up for the students.

The attack, the return to schoolThe attack, the return to school

Ahmed JanAhmed JanAge: 16 Class: 10Age: 16 Class: 10

"Our teachers told us to liedown on the floor...among therain of bullets, Allah almightykept me safe, but I lost mybrother"

The attack, the return to schoolThe attack, the return to schoolFor two hours Ahmed and his friends hid inside theirclassroom, and shielded themselves from the heavyfiring outside.

News arrived that Ahmed’s brother had been seriouslyinjured. Ahmed says the feeling of helplessness senthim into shock. “My brother was not just my brother, hewas my best friend,” Ahmed says.

Outside the school, his father was waiting for the twobrothers to exit safely, but only one made it.

A month later, Ahmed returned to APS and wanted toleave. The visuals of blood, bodies and injured peoplehaunted him. But he was not willing to give up on hisdream to become an engineer, and is slowly re-adjusting to normal life while seeking psychologicalhelp for trauma.

The screams of childrenThe screams of children

Amir AminAmir AminAge: 18 Class: 2nd yearAge: 18 Class: 2nd year

Amir found a place to hide inthe computer lab, butcouldn’t escape the bullets

The screams of childrenThe screams of childrenWhen Amir Amin first heard gunshots, he thoughtit was a routine exercise outside the school. Within the next few seconds, the firing wasfollowed by sounds of children screaming andcrying. Amir rushed outside only to be met with aterrible sight: armed men were firingindiscriminately at students, many of whom werehis friends. Amir found a place to hide in the computer lab, butcouldn’t escape the bullets. One hit his leg, and hewaited in pain until police officers rescued him. Hisbrother, Ishaq Amin, was killed during the attack. “I’ve lost a flower-like son,” says their mother, whofears for Amir and her remaining children’s lives.

A bullet in the leg A bullet in the leg

Kashan ZaheerKashan ZaheerAge: 17 Class: 10Age: 17 Class: 10

“I wish I had been martyredwith my friends”

A bullet in the leg A bullet in the leg After the third class of the day, Kashan Zaheer and hisfriends made their way to the auditorium for a lectureon first aid. A few minutes later, the back door burstopen and bullets flew in all directions. Kashan realisedit was a real attack, and lay down under a chair seekingcover. “[But] the militants fired at the rows of chair underwhich we were hiding. I saw several of my friends getkilled or injured,” he says. Kashan received a bullet in his leg while running out ofthe auditorium. He was moved to a private hospital fortreatment soon after, but requires additionaloperations to heal completely. But his mental healthcontinues to suffer. Kashan’s mother says he cannotconcentrate and study like he used to, and occasionallyerupts in anger over small, petty issues. He often tellsher he wishes he had been “martyred” with his friends.

‘I used a muffler as a bandage’‘I used a muffler as a bandage’

Maaz IrfanMaaz IrfanAge: 16 Class: 1st yearAge: 16 Class: 1st year

Ongoing treatment costshave exceeded Rs 3 million

‘I used a muffler as a bandage’‘I used a muffler as a bandage’Maaz Irfan was in the auditorium with Kashan,waiting for the first aid lecture to start. Hereceived three bullets in his arm seconds after themilitants stormed inside. Once the militants left, Maaz limped over to hisclassroom, where a younger boy wrapped hismuffler around his arm as a bandage. They waitedin the room for two hours and placed cupboardsby the door to block anyone from coming in. Maaz’s treatment costs more than the family canafford. According to his family, the governmenthas provided Rs 1.5 million, while treatment costshave exceeded Rs 3 million. If they do not get himhelp soon, he could lose his hand permanently.

‘I have lost nine friends’‘I have lost nine friends’

Malik Hassan AwanMalik Hassan AwanAge: 15 Class: 10Age: 15 Class: 10

A bullet hit Malik’s cap, buthe managed to run outside

‘I have lost nine friends’‘I have lost nine friends’Malik had just settled down in the school’sauditorium when the firing started. Realizing it wasn’t an ordinary drill, Malik rantowards the door with his friends. Two of them fellon the way, and three others tried to escape butwere killed. A bullet hit Malik’s cap but hesomehow managed to reach the main gate safely.He immediately hailed a rickshaw and rushedhome. Malik says he has recovered mentally, but he isunable to forget the day and his friends. Hisbrother, Usama Tariq, was also killed in the attack.When he hears the sound of firing now, he growsfrightened. “I have lost nine friends. I cannot studywithout pain in my head,” he says.

Listening to the gunfire for hoursListening to the gunfire for hours

Murtajiz Raza BangashMurtajiz Raza BangashAge: 12 Class: 7Age: 12 Class: 7

Everything was covered withblood, dead bodies werescattered around

Listening to the gunfire for hoursListening to the gunfire for hoursWhile the ambush went on outside, Murtajiz andhis classmates gathered inside their classroomand shut themselves in. He thought it was aregular drill for senior students, but soon realisedit was real firing.

For two hours, he had to stay quietly inside withhis friends and bear the terrible sounds comingfrom outside. The firing didn’t cease. “I lost myhearing for some time,” he says.

Murtajiz remembers the army personnel showingup hours after, and being rushed to the hospitalwhere everything was covered with blood, deadbodies scattered around. He has resumed hisschooling now, and wants to join thePakistan Army to fight terrorists when he grows

up.

‘All we wanted was to escape’‘All we wanted was to escape’

Obaid SajjidObaid SajjidAge: 16 Class: 9Age: 16 Class: 9

"I will continue my studiesand become an engineer"

‘All we wanted was to escape’‘All we wanted was to escape’Obaid was in the auditorium when the firing began. Itstarted like a drill, but the hall’s back door broke andarmed men entered the room. “All we wanted to do wasescape,” he says.

Obaid frantically made his way towards the other doorand was shot four times – twice in each arm. He fell bythe gate and once the attackers moved out, ran to thelibrary to hide. He waited for two hours, unable to helphimself or his injured friends.

His arms are slowly recovering, and with furthertreatment, Obaid should be healthy again. It was difficultfor him to resume school, not because of his injury, butbecause several of his friends were martyred on the day.“In the first few days I was worried and afraid,” Obainadmits, “But now I am completely fine and brave. I willcontinue my studies and become an engineer.”

‘We thought they were rubber bullets’‘We thought they were rubber bullets’

Syed Ahsan AliSyed Ahsan AliAge: 15 Class: 10Age: 15 Class: 10

Returning to school wasn’teasy as there were nofriends left

‘We thought they were rubber bullets’‘We thought they were rubber bullets’When firing started in the auditorium, Syed Ahsan Aliand his friends – like other students – thought it was aroutine drill. “We were laughing about it, thinking theymust be rubber bullets,” he says. As students began falling, Ahsan and his friends soughtcover under the chairs. Several of his friends, werekilled right there. Once the militants cleared out,teachers gathered the students to rush outside. Ahsanran to the door, but when one of his friends fell whilerunning, he felt too scared to move. Somehow he made it out alive. “I’m lucky,” he says. “Atleast 40 of my friends were killed by militants.” Returning to school wasn’t easy since he had nofriends left. But the incident brought in him a renewedlove for studying; now all he wants to do is become anofficer and serve the country.