Nation observes 9th anniversary of APS attack

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The 9th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Army Public School (APS), Peshawar, that claimed the lives of over 140 individuals was observed all over the country on Saturday.

The assault on December 16, 2014, orchestrated by militants, resulted in a major loss of lives, predominantly of students and teachers. Nationwide, various activities and events were held to commemorate the day. The entire nation, including the leadership and civil society, paid homage to the martyred children and teachers, acknowledging their profound sacrifices.

In a message, President Dr Arif Alvi said the Pakistani nation stood with its security forces in their efforts to get rid of terrorists and miscreants who were spreading lawlessness. “The nation pays tribute to the security forces for their sacrifices to restore peace and security in the country,” he added.

He said the grief for innocent children, who fell victim to the barbarity of terrorists in the tragedy of APS Peshawar, could never lessen. “This tragedy made people across the world grief stricken and every eye was tearful,” Alvi said, adding that nine years ago, the enemy assaulted our hope for the future in a bid to demoralise the nation in the war against terrorism but this tragic incident further strengthened the resolve and determination of the people against terrorism.

The president said he and the nation would always remember the supreme sacrifice of children. “The nation stands with the parents of the children who exemplified courage and shared their grief. The nation is united against terrorism and is determined to root out this evil,” he concluded.

In his message, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar paid tribute to the sacrifices of APS Shuhada and said that such precedents of sacrifices were rare in human history. The unfortunate incident had strengthened the nation’s resolve against terrorism, the interim prime minister said, giving a clear message to terrorists and enemies of peace that the Pakistani nation was united.

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

APS 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. Kakar said that the Pakistani nation had won the fight against terrorism and had foiled all the enemies’ nefarious designs of sowing anarchy and disorder.

He said though the entire nation was grieving over the tragic incident of APS but it had made it stronger against the specter of terrorism. He said the Pakistani nation was standing shoulder to shoulder with its security forces to send all terrorists who had been trying to disrupt peace of the country to hell.

He said the nation also paid tribute to the personnel of police force, Rangers, Army and other law enforcement agencies for eliminating the terrorists and their hideouts one by one after the occurrence of the APS tragedy.

Separately, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari described the APS 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. We stand by the families of victims of terrorism,” he said. Drawing on his personal connection as the son of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, he expressed solidarity with the grief-stricken families.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) President and former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasised the need for the resolute leadership of Nawaz Sharif to obliterate the resurgence of terrorism in Pakistan. Honoring the martyrs on the 9th anniversary of the tragic APS incident, Shehbaz reflected on December 16, 2014, as a day etched in the nation’s memory, never to be forgotten.

Under the leadership of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, a decisive war against terrorism was initiated, marked by operations Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasad, effectively cleansing the nation of terrorists, he said. He paid tribute to the armed forces and commended them for their bravery and determination in combating terrorism everyday with unbreakable strength.

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

Paying tributes to the martyrs of APS tragedy, he said they united the nation against terrorism. After this incident, all the political parties and organisations united against terrorism, a 20-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 is facing a new wave of terrorism today, he said. He said the people of Pakistan will defeat this new wave of terrorism with the strength of their state institutions and this was the message of today. “Our resolve is firm and our passion is true, our war against terrorism will continue,” Solangi remarked.

Addressing a civil society demonstration in Islamabad on Saturday evening, PPP Human Rights Cell president Farhatullah Babar urged for introspection and the abandonment of any doubt regarding the necessity of confronting militants relentlessly, rather than appeasing them. “December 16 marks a somber day in our nation’s history, as innocent students were martyred in a school within a highly secured zone of the city,” he said.

Babar said that the APS tragedy and the recent surge in terror activities underscored the failure of the state’s security and foreign policies, adding that non-state actors have re-emerged, wreaking havoc with impunity.

He criticised those who attempted to placate militants and negotiate peace with them, asserting that such actions have caused immeasurable damage to the nation and should be subject to accountability.

He highlighted that, following the APS tragedy, all political parties and institutions had devised a National Action Plan to combat terrorists, yet its implementation remains lacking. He referred to the commission, headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa, established to investigate the massacre of lawyers in Quetta, saying there was an urgent need to implement its recommendations.

The PPP leader stressed that achieving closure for the tragedy requires addressing fundamental questions repeatedly posed by the victims’ heirs. “On this day, let us reiterate that terrorists are terrorists, without any distinction of good or bad, and they must be dealt with an iron hand, not appeased,” he concluded.