The second memorial anniversary of the deadly terrorist attack on Army Public School is being observed today (Friday) to pay homage to the innocent martyrs of the tragedy.
Two years ago today, on December 16, 2014 147 people, including 132 schoolchildren, were massacred in the deadliest terrorist attack in Pakistan’s history when terrorists stormed Army Public School in Peshawar Cantonment and started indiscriminately killing everyone in sight.
The main memorial was held at Army Public School in Peshawar earlier today, to pay tribute to the martyrs of the tragedy. Army Chief General Qamar Bajwa, Corps Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Hidayat ur Rehman and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra attended the memorial, along with students and families of the martyred.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Bajwa, addressing the memorial, said the nation will not rest until the blood of every APS martyr is avenged.
COAS Gen Qamar Bajwa said the martyrs of the APS tragedy can never be forgotten.
“The blood of the martyrs is a loan on us. We will not rest until we pay it back. We will not rest until terrorism is exterminated from our soil,” he said.
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The Army Chief said the terrorists had failed to break the nation’s spirit. He added that he keeps pictures of the schoolchildren martyred in the APS attack in his office to keep himself motivated to root out terrorism.
COAS Gen Qamar Bajwa, accompanied by other officials, laid wreaths at Yadgar-e-Shuhda in memory of the martyrs.
‘Nation stands with families of APS martyrs’: PM
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed his condolences to families of the Army Public School martyrs.
“Today reminds us of the horrific APS incident,” he said, adding that the entire nation stands with the bereaved families in their times of sorrow.
He said that the top leadership of the country is determined to exterminate terrorism and extremism. “We have no mercy in our hearts for these ruthless murderers who killed our innocent children,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the country has made immense sacrifices and the world is witness to how Pakistan has managed to defeat terrorism.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has announced holiday for all educational institutions in the province in memory of the martyrs. Arrangements are in place at different educational institutions and other places to remember the young martyrs.
Remembering the fallen
Around 109 government schools in KP have been named after the martyred school children.
Also read: Supreme Court stays execution of three convicted APS attackers
Quran Khwani and other events have been planned by civil society organisations countrywide to remember the martyrs. A large number of people gathered in different parts of the country holding candlelight vigil and pictures of the martyred.
