APS Peshawar attack’s ninth anniversary observed

ISLAMABAD: The ninth anniversary of the heinous terrorist attack on Army Public School (APS) Peshawar was observed on Saturday across the country.

The ruthless assault on December 16, 2014, orchestrated by militants, resulted in the tragic loss of over 140 lives, predominantly students and teachers.

Various activities and events nationwide commemorated the sacrifices of the innocent children, the official news agency reported.

On this solemn occasion, the entire nation, encompassing its leadership and civil society, paid homage to the martyred children and teachers, acknowledging their profound sacrifices.

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, on the occasion, reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to national, regional, and global peace.

In a message, he said that on that tragic day terrorists had launched a cowardly attack on APS Peshawar leading to a tragic incident which had grieved the entire world.

The unfortunate incident had strengthened the nation’s resolve against terrorism, the prime minister said, giving a clear message to terrorists and enemies of peace that the Pakistani nation was united.

Expressing his grief, the prime minister said that recollection of the incident brought tears to his eyes.

Nine years back, the enemy had tried vainly to deter the resolve of the nation in the fight against terrorism by attacking their flowers like children, PM Office Media Wing, in a press release, quoted the prime minister as saying.

The caretaker prime minister further said that he along with the entire nation still remembered the great sacrifices of the students and paid tribute to them.

APS Peshawar Principal Shaheed Tahira Qazi and other teachers stood against terrorists like a formidable wall and laid down their lives while saving the students, he added.

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, described the Army Public School Peshawar massacre as a dark day in the national history, emphasising that the memory of this horrific bloodshed remained vivid in the minds of every Pakistani.

“We will not forget the martyrs or this tragedy,” he said. “We stand by the families of victims of terrorism”.

Drawing on his personal connection as the son of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, he expressed solidarity with the grief-stricken families.

Caretaker Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi said that the day of December 16 would always be remembered for the great sacrifices of the martyrs of APS Peshawar.

In a message, he said, “Nine years have passed since the tragedy of APS Peshawar, but the grief of those who lost their lives was still fresh today.”

The minister said that cowardly miscreants attacked the future of the nation, the young children and martyred them.

Solangi said no one could hold back their tears remembering that tragic day.

Paying tributes to the martyrs of the APS Peshawar tragedy, he said they united the nation against terrorism.

After this incident, he said, all the political parties and organisations united against terrorism, a twenty-point national action plan was adopted and the terrorists were defeated.

Unfortunately, without taking the opinion of parliament and public institutions, a government of the recent past allowed the terrorists to return, due to which the nation facing a new wave of terrorism today.