APS attack survivor Ahmed Nawaz receives prestigious Princess Diana Award

LONDON: Ahmed Nawaz, a survivor of the 2014 Army Public School attack has been honoured with the prestigious Princess Diana Award for his humanitarian efforts.

Ahmad was 14 when his school was attacked by Taliban militants, but he managed to stay alive by pretending to be dead. He suffered serious injuries to his arm and was brought to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the Birmingham for special treatment.

Ahmad also lost his brother Harris in the massacre. But he has since emerged as a strong voice against extremism and terrorism, and tours schools around the United Kingdom, sharing his experience in a bid to prevent students from being radicalised.

The Diana Award winner tweeted to express his gratitude, saying it uplifted his morale and that he would continue to do positive work for the society and young people.

Ahmad also shared a heartfelt video message on social media. “That was the most horrible day of my life and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget that,” he said, referring to the APS tragedy.

The Diana Award was founded as a legacy to Diana, the former Princess of Wales. 

Since 1999, following her tragic death in a car crash in Paris, the award has recognised over 45,000 ordinary youngsters who have made “an extraordinary difference to their communities”.