PM pays tribute to APS martyrs

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has urged the nation to make a pledge to build a democratic society with zero tolerance for violence and extremism in name of religion, sect, ethnicity or race.

In his message to the nation on the anniversary of the tragedy of Army Public School (APS) Peshawar to be observed on Saturday (December 16), the prime minister said the day would be remembered as black day in country’s history when barbaric elements had targeted the innocent children of the APS. He said the children who had gone to school for study, returned either in coffins or severely injured. He said the Pakistani nation had rendered unprecedented sacrifices in war against terrorism, more than any other nation in the world.

The prime minister viewed that the APS tragedy had led to the historic national unity and promoted the nation to make a firm resolve for unanimously launching a decisive action against terrorists.

He said the valiant security forces of Pakistan defeated the terrorists under the National Action Plan and broke their back consequent to their tireless efforts. The blood of the innocent people has come to fruition making the Pakistani nation the only nation across the world that had defeated the terrorists.

Prime Minister Abbasi said the memory of the APS victims would continue disturbing us. This day would keep recalling us as how much innocent souls we had sacrificed to purge our homeland of terrorists.

He said December 16 was the day to pay tribute to those innocent people and sympathise with their grieved parents and the nation would keep their immortal sacrifice alive forever. He said it was also the day to renew our national resolve against

The prime minister said whole of the Pakistani nation pays tribute to its innocent martyrs, Pakistan Army, police and security forces and make a pledge to take this struggle to its logical end.