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Amna Shahzad

Beyond the Headlines: Unseen Consequences of the APS Peshawar Attack



The APS Peshawar Attack, a horrifying event in the history of Pakistan, happened on 16th December 2014. On this day, terrorists stormed the Army Public School in Peshawar, where around 200 students lost their lives. This brutal tragedy did not just result in the deaths of young, innocent students but also left deep psychological scars on survivors as well as the broader student community of Pakistan.


It has been 10 years since this incident, still many students were subjected to severe emotional trauma and distress leading them to face long term mental health challenges. The weight of tragedy bore scars of violence and stress. Students who survived as well as the overall broader student community pay a high price in academic terms.


Delving deep into it, Al-Jazeera highlighted an interview saying that students were unable to perform well in the school after the attack due to physical trauma. It was hard in coping back to studies and no proper healing initiatives were given to them. Moreover, due to this, it highly affected their grades resulting in rejections from their universities of choice. Linking this to what we also studied in class, there was no proper initiative taken by the government or school itself to provide additional focus to students studying in the same school. Such as ‘integrated program’ could be implemented providing survival skills and help students with physiological problems. This psychological effect was not just onto students but passed on to teachers as well. In one of the interviews reported by The News stated that “After the attacks, the administration was no longer in charge of school affairs,” Mohammed Ismail, a former APS mathematics teacher who taught grade six to eight, told. 


Another hidden struggle which was highlighted was that APS Peshawar became the “PR Platform” for upcoming governmental parties to gain votes from the citizens by visiting this school as a part of their PR strategy or manifestos. This in result created a lot of distractions for students unable to focus on their studies. They were forced to leave class in middle for gathering of ceremonies etc. This highlights how the educational landscapes which are affected by terrorism, continues to bear a long- term side effects on student’s performance, attendance and overall well-being.


This Prompts a critical question that why didn’t government took comprehensive measures to address the psychological trauma experienced by these children and ensure their well-being? I remember that safety measures activities such as emergency drill rehearsals were done in almost all schools to equip students with precautions to take in place of terriost attack but the effort should have extended beyond merely providing precautionary measures and rebuilding the physical infrastructure of the school. A holistic approach is required, focusing on the mental health recovery and return to normalcy for both students and teachers. Post-attack well-being initiatives should have encompassed psychological support and resilience-building programs for educators, recognizing their vital role in the recovery and long-term rehabilitation of the school community. These measures should not be limited to APS Peshawar attack survivors but to entire student community of Pakistan, ensuring that all students have a access to mental health resources and emotional support to thrive.

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I am always baffled at the lack of importance given to the psychological aspects of humans given in Pakistan over any such issues. We deem it unimportant to focus on these aspects, while ignoring that fact that they have an admonishing affect on the life of the affected individuals. People expect time to heal all but I think we can all agree that healing, sometimes, cannot happen so subconsciously. Especially, where trauma is so deeply ingrained at a young age there needs to be an active effort to cope with its affects. Such a day in Pakistan seems far where we give attention to such life altering perspectives.

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As discussed, there is a difference between preventative measures and rehabilitation efforts. Preventative measures such as drills in schools on their own are not as effective as they instill fear in children of an impending attack, and this impacts their concentration and learning at school. Rehabilitation efforts along with this will help children regulate their emotions and they can act accordingly during times of crisis as they will not be overcome by anxiety. For this to happen attention needs to be given to hiring mental health counsellors in schools.

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Ali Khan
Oct 06

Thank you for shedding light on the deep and lasting impact of the APS Peshawar attack, which indeed extends far beyond the immediate tragedy. I resonate with your emphasis on the need for a holistic approach to recovery, particularly mental health support, as the psychological toll of such a horrific event cannot be overstated.

In fact, two survivors of the APS attack came to my school for further education. They had been bright, ambitious students, but the attack changed them forever. For a long time, they lived in constant fear, and their ability to concentrate was severely impacted. The trauma they endured affected their mental health and academic performance significantly. They often shared how difficult it was to sit through…

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Massively intriguing and emotionally connecting piece of writing, thank you so much Amna for shedding light on an important and often overlooked aspect of the APS Peshawar attack—the long-term psychological and academic impact on survivors and the broader student community in Pakistan. The personal and emotional narrative is effectively captured, particularly the lingering mental health challenges and the lack of a comprehensive response from the government and educational institutions. Highlighting the failure to provide sufficient psychological support and resilience-building programs is a crucial point, as it aligns with broader our discussions on trauma-informed education which we have had several times in this course and is essential for communities affected by violence.

However, thinking about this, i was wondering that touching…

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Your reflection on the APS Peshawar Attack raises crucial points about the ongoing psychological impact on survivors and the broader student community, but I find it concerning that there seems to be a lack of engagement with the complexities surrounding this issue. While you highlight the absence of government initiatives and the exploitation of the tragedy for political gain, I wonder if you are fully addressing the systemic failures that contribute to such negligence.

For instance, the idea of creating an “integrated program” for psychological support is certainly valuable, but it's a bit simplistic. It assumes that a one-size-fits-all approach can effectively address the diverse and deeply rooted psychological trauma experienced by these students. Are we adequately considering the cultural,…

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Replying to

Thank you for raising such critical points. Firstly, the suggestion to implement an integrated program for psychological support does indeed require a more nuanced approach. Trauma is deeply personal, and any such program must consider the diverse socio-economic and cultural realities of the affected students. For example, stigmatization of mental health in Pakistan can create resistance to seeking help, while poverty and social barriers may prevent access to resources. Addressing these systemic challenges is essential in designing any effective mental health intervention specially after such devasting incident. Moreover, you’re right to highlight the importance of community resilience. While the government’s response has been insufficient, many local NGOs and grassroots efforts have stepped in to provide mental health services and support.…

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