7th anniversary of APS carnage observed amid resolve to defeat terrorism
Tariq Saeed Peshawar
The nation on Thursday celebrated seventh anniversary of the Army Public School, Peshawar, carnage amid pledge by the civil and military top leadership that militant mindset to take over the country would never be allowed and survivors and parents of martyred soul would not be let down.
“Dec 16, 2014, terrorists attacked and martyred over 140 people including 132 children in Army Public School Peshawar.
Pakistan has successfully defeated terrorism. I reiterate we will never let down the survivors & parents of our martyred children.There is zero tolerance for violence and those using it as a tool”.
Prime Minister Imran Kham tweeted on the seventh anniversary of the APS callous attack adding education was the only weapon with which extremism and terrorism could be defeated permanently.
On this day, exactly seven years back the heart-less terrorists, it may be recalled, had On December 16, 2014 carried out one of the most horrific attacks in the history of Pakistan and massacred 150 people including 135 innocent school children in Army Public School Peshawar sending a wave of shock and resentment not only in Pakistan but the entire world as the incident drew condemnation worldwide.
In fact the incident had brought the govern-ment and all the political parties on the same page as they had expressed a renewed resolve to fight terrorism in the country during All Parties Conference (participated by the top military and political leadership of the country) convened in Peshawar the very next day of the APS tragedy and a comprehensive National Action Plan was announced to effectively deal with the terrorism.
While the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif had also lifted the moratorium on the death penalty in terrorism cases, the security forces since then have been coming hard on the militants and have in many targeted operations killed and arrested hundreds of insurgents including those involved in the barbaric attack on APS Peshawar.
Glowing tributes were paid to the martyrs and ghazis of Army Public School and College at APS Warsak Road in Peshawar that was bathed in blood seven years back, and other parts of the country as the nation remembered the heroes and mourned the deadliest ever terrorist attack amid resolve to defeat the terrorism.
Special ceremonies were held in Peshawar and other parts of the country to pay tribute to the martyrs and Ghazis of Army Public School and College and to express complete solidarity with their loved ones, on Thursday.
Army, Civil high ups as well as the families of the martyrs and people from various walks of society laid floral wreaths at the martyrs’ monument and offered Fateha for the departed souls.
Quran Khawani was held by the civil society and at educational institutions for the Shaheeds of the APS massacre.
Likewise ceremonies were held in different parts of the countries especially at various schools where the participant paid tributes to the APS martyrs and expressed resolve to defeat terrorism.
