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13 January 2015

Children back to Taliban-hit school after winter break

Jan 13 2015

Pakistani soldiers stand guard as parents arrive with their children at the Army Public School in Peshawar on Monday. AFP

Traumatised students who survived Pakistan's worst terror attack that claimed 150 lives returned to their army-run school today, clinging on to anxious parents with horrors of the deadly carnage still fresh in their minds.

Army Public School (APS) here reopened along with thousands of educational institutions across the country after an unusually long winter break, extended for 12 days due to threat of militants.

The schools which were able to fulfil the criteria set by the government were issued no-objection certificates (NOCs) whereas some institutions which failed to make arrangements such as installation of CCTV cameras and higher boundary walls across the campus boundaries were not issued NOCs.

Army chief Gen Raheel Sharif along with his wife visited the school here and met children at the gate of the school which was attacked by the Taliban militants on December 16.

The militants killed 150 people, including 134 students, during a 7-hour siege, leading to closure of educational institutions across Pakistan.

About 20 soldiers were seen at the main entry point of the APS in the morning, with an airport-style security gate installed at the front.

Elevated boundary walls with steel wire fencing were also put in place around Peshawar and in schools throughout the country.

The APS management said that psychological counselling sessions would be given to staff and students till January 17, whereas regular academic session would begin from January 19. — PTI

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