Pakistani girl Sabeeka Aziz Shaikh, martyred in Texas shooting.
KARACHI (ENN) There was an outpour of grief as family members and friends said farewell to Sabika Sheikh, the 17-year-old Pakistani exchange student killed in a Texas high school shooting last week.
Sabika was laid to rest in her hometown of Karachi here on Wednesday at the Azeempura Graveyard in the city’s Shah Faisal Colony. Her father Abdul Aziz Sheikh could not have imaged having to bury his daughter in the same graveyard as her grandparents.
Sheikh had been in the US on a State Department-sponsored exchange programme but was due to return home in mere weeks ahead of Eid ul-Fitr.
Trying to hold back his tears, Abdul Aziz said the incident would not deter him from sending his children abroad in the pursuit of education.
“If my children get a scholarship or any other opportunity to study abroad, I will certainly send them. If we let these incidents deter us it means we are promoting those people who want to stop children from receiving an education.”
Sabika’s father also thanked the media and the government for their support in helping the grieving family cope with their loss. “I am grateful to the Government, the Prime Minister, the media for extending their support to us and helping us to cope with our grief and loss,” he told media after the burial.
The funeral of the 17-year-old was attended by Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah, Governor Mohammad Zubair, PSP chief Mustafa Kamal, PPP leader Saeed Ghani and representatives from other political parties.
