Schools in the Pakistani city of Peshawar reopened this morning for the first time since 150 people, mainly children, were killed in a Taliban raid on a school in December.
The 16 December attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar by a group of gunmen and suicide bombers led to the government moving to scrap a moratorium on executions and establish military courts.
Schools across Pakistan had remained shut for an extended winter break as education authorities increased security measures.
At least 20 soldiers were seen at the main entry point of the Army Public School, with an airport-style security gate installed at the front.
Elevated boundary walls with steel wire fencing have been put in place around Peshawar and in schools throughout the rest of the country.
16-year-old Shahrukh Khan, who was shot in both legs while pretending to play dead in his school's auditorium, said going back was traumatic.
"My heart has been broken. All the class fellows I had, have died, now my heart does not want to attend school," he added.
Of the 150 victims killed in Pakistan's deadliest-ever attack, 134 were children.
Other students struck a defiant note.
"I am not scared, no force can stop me from going to attend my school, I will go and will tell the attackers, 'we are not afraid of you'," 16-year-old Zahid Ayub, who sustained minor wounds, said.
