3rd anniversary of APS tragedy Sacrifices rendered by students, teachers united nation: President, PM

ISLAMABAD: In their separate messages on the third anniversary of Army Public School (APS) Peshawar on Saturday President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi have said the sacrifices rendered by the students and teachers in the incident have united the nation against the menace of terrorism.Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal and Marriyum Aurangzeb also paid glowing tribute to the martyrs of APS incident.

The president said the incident is not only a national tragedy but an eye opener to renew the national pledge against extremism and terrorism. He said the nation bears witness to the efforts put forth by the security forces to eliminate terrorism from the country.

In his message the prime minister said the whole of the Pakistani nation pays tribute to its innocent martyrs, Pakistan Army, police and security forces and makes a pledge to take this struggle against terrorists to its logical end. He 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.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said Pakistani nation had rendered unprecedented sacrifices in war against terrorism more than any other nation in the world. He said the valiant security forces of Pakistan have defeated the terrorists under the National Action Plan and broke their back consequent to their tireless efforts.

APP adds: Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday said that the nation would never forget the supreme sacrifice of the Army Public School (APS) Peshawar martyrs.

The minister, in a statement here, said the war against terrorism would continue and urged unity in the nation to win the fight for future generation. He said the incident had united the whole nation against terrorism and strengthened its resolve against the menace of terrorism.

He said December 16 was a reminder when inhumane terrorists attacked innocent children in APS. He added the nation gave the sacrifice of life and property in the war against terrorism.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage has said that remembrance of martyrs of APS would continue to strengthen the resolve of the nation till the last terrorist was eliminated, adding that the tragedy had galvanised the people to stand united against the terrorists and the innocent martyrs would always remain in the heart of the nation.

She said this while addressing a ceremony to mark the issuance of Health Entitlement Cards for the journalists under a memorandum of understanding signed between PIMS and National Press Club here Sunday. She said, "We pay tribute to the martyrs who made sacrifices in the war against terrorism and pledge to eliminate the menace completely."

The minister participated in the collective prayer for the martyrs and said that the entire nation was standing with the martyrs and their families and the war against terrorism would continue. Marriyum paid tributes to the security forces, law enforcing agencies and the people of Pakistan for the sacrifices that they had rendered during the last four years.