Tahira Qazi

Tahira Qazi (1 July 1951 – 16 December 2014) was a Pakistani educationist and principal of Army Public School Peshawar who was killed in the Peshawar school attack on 16 December 2014.[1][2][3]

Tahira Qazi
طاھره قاضی
Born1 July 1951
Mardan, Pakistan
Died16 December 2014(2014-12-16) (aged 63)
Army Public School Peshawar, Pakistan
Cause of deathGun shot to the head
Resting placeLandi Yarghajo
33° 58′ 46″ N, 71° 32′ 41″ E
EducationUniversity of Peshawar
OccupationEducationist
Years active1994-2014
SpouseQazi Zafarullah
Children3
AwardsSitara-e-Shujaat (2015)

Early life and career

Tahira Qazi was born on 1 July 1951 in Mardan, Pakistan where she attended early schooling. She completed her master's degree in English from University of Peshawar and started her teaching career in the 1970s. Qazi married Pakistan Army colonel (now retired) Qazi Zafrullah in the 1980s. She was principal of Army Public School, Peshawar since 2006 and was set to retire in May 2015. According to her students, she taught English.[4][5]

Death

On 16 December 2014, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan affiliated terrorists attacked Army Public School Peshawar. During the attack, Qazi tried to protect the students and jumped forward in front of the militants and said, "I am their mother. Talk to me." She was then set on fire, allegedly in front of her students, for being the spouse of a senior army officer.[6][7]

Qazi was laid to rest in Landi Arbab.[8][7][9] She was survived by her husband, a daughter, and two sons.[6]

Awards and honors

Qazi was posthumously awarded by Sitara-e-Shujaat on Pakistan Day 2015 by President Mamnoon Hussain.[10][11] A conference room of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly was renamed after her, as the "Tahira Qazi Conference Room".[12]

See also

References
  1. "In praise of … Tahira Qazi | Hugh Muir | Comment is free". The Guardian. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  2. "'I Shall Rise and Shine' ‹ Newsweek Pakistan". Newsweekpakistan.com. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  3. Marszal, Andrew. "Inside the Pakistan school: harrowing images reveal full terror of Taliban attack". Telegraph. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  4. Ahmed, Riaz (17 December 2014). "Tahira Qazi: Life lived on principles - The Express Tribune". Tribune.com.pk. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  5. Mansoor, Halima (10 May 2015). "Tahira Qazi: To mother, with love - The Express Tribune". Tribune.com.pk. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  6. "Tahira Kazi: Peshawar school principal who was burnt alive by Taliban for marrying a Pak army officer : Neighbours, News - India Today". Indiatoday.intoday.in. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  7. "Taliban School Invasion: Principal burnt alive before pupils because she married a soldier" (in German). Pulse.ng. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  8. Hughes, Chris (17 December 2014). "Pakistan school attack: Brave teacher torched by Taliban terrorists after over my dead body vow - Mirror Online". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  9. "Pakistan's valiant, unsung heroes | ARY NEWS". Arynews.tv. 28 February 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  10. "The complete list of recipients of awards on Pakistan Day - The Express Tribune". Tribune.com.pk. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  11. "School carnage victims to get bravery award - Pakistan". Dawn.Com. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  12. "Army Public School attack: Tahira Qazi (APS principal) — Age 64". DAWN.COM. 1 December 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
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