APS attack survivor Ahmad Nawaz elected Treasurer of historic Oxford Union

Ahmad Nawaz, the survivor of the Army Public School (APS) attack in Peshawar, earned pride for the country as he was elected the Treasurer of the historic Oxford Union in the recent elections, reported 24NewsHD TV channel Saturday.

The 20-year-old student made the announcement on his Instagaram stating, “Honoured to be elected the Treasurer of the historic Oxford Union in the recent elections. It has been an adventurous first year at Oxford with so many new experiences. I shall continue to utilise the Oxford Union platform to connect inspiring speakers with bright Oxonians.

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Earlier in March, Ahmad was elected to the Governing & Standing Committee of Oxford Union in the University Of Oxford and was congratulated officially by the Pakistani government for his achievement.

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In 2014, Nawaz was 14-year-old when he received bullet injuries during a Taliban attack on the APS school. His younger brother, Haris Nawaz, was among the 150 students and teachers martyred by militants. Ahmad saved his life by pretending to be dead when the terrorists were roaming the school building.

After he was shot in the arm, Ahmed Nawaz was airlifted to Birmingham for treatment. He has been staying there ever since with his family and got admission in Oxford University on the basis of his school grades in 2020.

Ahmad Nawaz is studying Philosophy and Theology at Lady Margaret Hall, the same alma mater of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and rights activist Malala Yousafzai.

Ahmad Nawaz had earlier said the atrocious attack on December 16, 2014 had scarred him for life. "I will never be able to forget the trauma — even now I get flashbacks and nightmares — but the support from people from Pakistan has helped me move on," Ahmed said. "[I now have] a newer perspective on life. Before the incident, I was an ordinary kid but now I realise my responsibility."

The young student had initially arrived in the UK for treatment of his arm after doctors in Pakistan recommended treatment from a foreign hospital. He did not speak English well enough and struggled hard to adjust to the educational system in the UK. However, the love and support he received not only from his family but also from the people of Pakistan and Britain motivated him to work hard.

Nawaz had received a £14,000-per-annum scholarship to study at the renowned King Edwards school where he was able to 6 A*s and 2 As. He went on to study International Baccalaureate (IB) and scored well enough to secure an interview with the University of Oxford.

He has been interviewed by the BBC, the Daily Mail, the Times, The Guardian, The Independent, and various other international platforms regarding his journey and has also been the keynote speaker at hundreds of events in educational institutions across the UK.