10th anniversary: President, PM pay rich tribute to martyrs of APS tragedy

PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The nation observes the 10th anniversary of the victims of APS today (Monday). Ten years after the barbaric attack on the Army Public School (APS) in the provincial capital, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is still faced with terrorism in many of its districts and peace is yet to be restored.

President Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid rich tribute to the martyrs of APS tragedy.

Security across the provincial capital has been beefed up to avoid any untoward incident on the occasion of the anniversary of the December 16, 2014 terrorist attack on the APS. Functions will be held at schools and other places where the martyrs will be paid tributes.

Quran Khawani will also be offered at mosques for the martyrs as well as for peace in the country. As many as 147 people, including 132 schoolchildren, were martyred and a number of others were wounded when six terrorists broke into the APS on Warsak Road on December 16, 2014 and went on a shooting spree.

They indiscriminately opened fire and killed and wounded young students along with teachers and staff in classrooms, corridors and the auditorium.

The attack not only shook the entire country but it was condemned by people and countries across the world.

A 20-point National Action Plan was launched across the country a month after the APS attack to tackle militancy and terrorism and restore peace in the country. The situation improved till 2021 when terrorist attacks started increasing once again. Currently, several districts are witnessing a surge in attacks on police, security forces and civilians.

After the APS attack, a number of schools in Peshawar and elsewhere in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the country were named after the APS martyrs to pay tribute to them.

Ahmad Nawaz, a survivor of the APS attack, and many other students are campaigning for peace and education internationally after the tragedy.

Sher Shah, a grade-10 student was present in the auditorium along with his brother, Ahmad Shah of grade-8 when the terrorists attacked the hall. According to their father, Tufail Khattak, the young generation should draw inspiration from Sher Shah’s sacrifice.

Many parents of APS victims have launched scholarships and taken other initiatives for poor students in memory of the kids who lost their lives in the tragedy. They have awarded scholarships to many students over the last few years.

Other parents and students are still working for peace in the country so that no school or student is attacked again and children continue education in a peaceful environment.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari said the day of December 16, 2014 reminded the nation to get united against terrorism and increase their efforts to eliminate this menace. According to statement issued by Media Cell of President House on the tenth anniversary of the Army Public School Peshawar attack, President Zardari reiterated the determination to root out the remains of terrorism and extremism from Pakistan.

Zardari said 16th December, 2014 the terrorists attacked the future of our children and nation. “On this day, the terrorists mercilessly killed our citizens including our children,” he said, adding the terrorists showed their animosity towards public by attacking teachers and children. He said attack on the children was cruel and against humanity.

The president said the tragedy of APS made it clear that agenda of the terrorists was to create chaos and anarchy in the country. “The day of December 16 left un-erasable imprints on the collective memory of the nation,” he continued.

Zardari said that our sympathies were with the heirs of the innocent children. “This day reminded of the sacrifices of the nation in the war against terrorism, “he remarked. He said the incidents like APS tragedy exposed the real face of terrorists and Khwarij and the Pakistani nation would not let the terrorists succeed in their nefarious designs. He said the APS tragedy united the nation against terrorism.

“The history was witness that Pakistani nation did not lose courage in the face of tragedies,” he stressed. He said the political leadership of Pakistan also sacrificed in the war against terrorism, adding, “Today we pay tribute to the brave soldiers, security organizations and citizens for their sacrifices against terrorism. We will not let go in vain the sacrifices of our children, leaders and the citizens.”

The President concluded that the international community have to make collective efforts to eradicate terrorism.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif reiterated the nation’s unwavering resolve to combat terrorism as he marked the 10th anniversary of the devastating Army Public School (APS) tragedy on Sunday.

“We will never forget. We will never forgive,” PM Shehbaz Sharif declared, vowing to continue the fight against terrorism. In his heartfelt message, he said that December 16, 2014, was a day of unimaginable sorrow when cowardly terrorists attacked APS Peshawar, martyring 144 innocent individuals, the majority of whom were young children. “These ruthless, inhumane terrorists wreaked devastation and tore apart dreams, futures, and hopes. A decade has passed, but the pain of losing those innocent lives remains fresh,” he said.

PM Shehbaz emphasized that the sacrifices of the children and teachers who lost their lives in this brutal attack will never be forgotten. He paid tribute to their bravery, saluted their families for their resilience, and honoured the efforts of Pakistan’s security forces in standing firm against the enemies of the nation.

He further stated, “The entire nation stands united like a solid wall against cowardly terrorists and, Insha’Allah, will continue to do so. These miscreants, acting on the behest of foreign enemies, have no connection to religion or societal values and target innocent Pakistanis for their nefarious agendas.”

The prime minister urged the nation to renew its commitment to building a peaceful and secure Pakistan. “No child should ever again face such cruelty, and no family should have to endure this loss. It is our duty to ensure that the sacrifices made on December 16, 2014, were not in vain,” he asserted.

The APS tragedy remains one of the darkest days in Pakistan’s history.

Meanwhile, in a move to express solidarity with the martyrs of the 2014 Army Public School (APS) Peshawar tragedy, the government has announced that all public and private schools and colleges will remain close on December 16 here on Monday. The notification issued by Islamabad’s Deputy Commissioner, Irfan Nawaz Memon, stating that all schools and colleges in the capital will remain off for the day. The decision to close schools on December 16, the anniversary of the APS attack, was part of the government’s efforts to honour the memory of the students and staff who were martyred in the terrorist attack.