The children are gone. 134 of them, killed in their own classrooms in a cold-blooded attack by seven heavily-armed terrorists. But the mothers still live, with paralysing grief, painful memories and simmering anger.
In a televised address, post Dec 16, 2014, then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed retribution: “Being a father, I can understand how heavy these small coffins were for the shoulders of the parents to bear. I convey to the terrorists the decision of the nation: your days are numbered.”
His words were reassuring. But then, they were not.
Three years after the storming of Peshawar’s Army Public School, the mothers, the fathers, and the children are still waiting on that promise. Some parents have found solace in each others' company. They have come together to run between police stations, courtrooms, parliamentary buildings, and garrisons for answers and justice. On days, they chase journalists for a chance to be heard.
Here are their voices—loud and uncensored.