APS anniversary: PM announces to observe Dec 16 as ‘National Education Resolve Day’

PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced to observe December 16, the day when terrorists attacked Army Public School Peshawar and martyred more than 140 people including 132 children, as a ‘National Education Resolve Day’ to promote education.

Addressing the ceremony at the APS to pay homage to the martyrs and the injured children, staff members and their families, the Premier also announced to upgrade the Army Public School Peshawar to a university.

Also Read: Nation observes first anniversary of APS attack today

PM Nawaz said the APS tragedy shook the entire nation, adding that Operation Zarb-i-Azb has broken the back of terrorists and the day is not far when terrorism will be completely eliminated.

He also paid tributes to the armed forces for waging a valiant campaign against terrorism under the leadership of Army Chief General Raheel Sharif and completely eliminating the terrorists.

PM Nawaz Sharif, along with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, CM Balochistan Dr. Abdul Malik, CM Sindh Qaim Ali Shah, CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervaiz Khattak and Governor KP Sardar Mehtab attended the ceremony.

COAS Raheel Sharif received the parents of martyrs of APS upon arrival to the school to attend the first anniversary. He also expressed solidarity with the victims’ families.

Paramilitary forces and police were deployed in major cities Wednesday as the country marked the first anniversary of the Army Public School massacre.

The brutal assault by nine Taliban gunmen on the school in the northwestern city of Peshawar, which mostly claimed the lives of schoolchildren, was the country's deadliest ever terrorist attack.

Soldiers were standing at alert on main roads and junctions in Peshawar early Wednesday ahead of the ceremony. A security official said that almost a full brigade would be deployed in the city.

The attack hardened public opinion against extremism and prompted a military-led crackdown that has improved security, with 2015 on course for the fewest deaths linked to extremist violence since 2007, the year the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was formed.