President, PM messages

‘APS students’ sacrifices united nation against terrorism’

By our correspondent

Islamabad: In their separate messages on the third anniversary of Army Public School Peshawar on Saturday, President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the sacrifices rendered by the students and teachers in the incident have united the nation against the menace of terrorism.

In his message on the occasion, the president said the nation would always remember the APS martyrs as they had united the nation with their sacrifices.

He prayed for the martyrs of APS and said the whole nation recognised the sacrifices of Pakistan Army and other security forces in their successes against terrorism.

The president said the APS massacre was not only a national tragedy, but it was a day for the nation to reiterate the strong resolve against extremism and terrorism.

In his message, the prime minister 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.

He said the day would be remembered as black day in country’s history when barbaric elements had targeted the innocent children of the APS.

The prime minister said the Pakistani nation had rendered unprecedented sacrifices in war against terrorism more than any other nation in the world.

He said 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.

"The valiant security forces of Pakistan defeated 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," he said.

The prime minister said December 16 was the day to renew the national resolve against terrorism and keep all extremists from our ranks.

He said the entire Pakistani nation paid tribute to its innocent martyrs, Pakistan Army, police and security forces and make a pledge to take the struggle against terrorism to its logical end.