ISLAMABAD  -  President Dr Arif Alvi on Satur­day said the Pakistani nation stood with its security forces in their efforts to get rid of terror­ists and miscreants who were spreading lawlessness. 

In a message in remembrance of the tragedy of the Army Pub­lic School that occurred on De­cember 16, 2014, he said, “The nation pays tribute to the secu­rity forces for their sacrifices to restore peace and security in the country.”

He said the grief for the inno­cent children who fell victim to the barbarity of terrorists in the tragedy of APS Peshawar, could never lessen. “This tragedy made people across the world grief-stricken and every eye was tearful,” he said adding nine years ago, the enemy assaulted our hope for the future in a bid to demoralize the nation in the war against terrorism but this tragic incident further strength­ened resolve and determination of the people against terrorism.

The President said he and the nation would always remember the supreme sacrifice of chil­dren - the flowers of the nation. “The nation stands with the par­ents of the children who exem­plified courage. Nation shared their grief.”

“The nation is united against terrorism and is determined to root out this evil,” he concluded.

Also, Caretaker Prime Minis­ter Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has said the tragic incident of Army Public School Peshawar has strengthened the determination of our nation against terrorism.

In his message on the 9th an­niversary of the APS tragedy, Anwwar-ul-Haq Kakar said nine years ago, the enemy unsuc­cessfully tried to undermine the morale of this nation in the war against terrorism. It was a trag­edy that moistened the eyes of the whole world.

The Prime Minister said the sympathies of the entire nation are with the parents whose chil­dren made a great sacrifice in this tragedy.

Anwaar ul Haq Kakar said Principal Army Public School Shaheed Tahira Qazi and other teachers stood in front of these beasts as a rock wall to protect their students, and sacrificed their lives.

The Prime Minister said cow­ardarly terrorists can never de­feat this nation where fearless people like Shaheed Tahira Qazi and Shaheed Aitzaz Hasan do not even care about their lives to save others.

The Prime Minister said the nation has won the war on ter­ror and foiled all the tactics of the enemy to spread mischief and chaos in the country.

He the entire nation is proud of its great martyrs and their families. Anwwar-ul-Haq Ka­kar said the nation is surely sad­dened by the memory of the Army Public School tragedy, but it is stronger than ever and unit­ed against this menace.

He said the Pakistani na­tion stands by its security forc­es until all the miscreants are brought to justice.

The Prime Minister said the nation pays tribute to all the personnel of the security forc­es, including the police, rang­ers and Pak Army, who hunted down the terrorists from their hideouts and brought them to their end after this tragedy.

The Prime Minister said his clear message to the terrorists and the enemy of Pakistan’s peace is that the Pakistani na­tion is united. 

The 9th anniversary of the heinous terrorist attack on Army Public School Peshawar, claiming the lives of approxi­mately 150 individuals is being observed on Saturday across the country. The ruthless as­sault on December 16, 2014, or­chestrated by militants, result­ed in the tragic loss of over 140 lives, predominantly students and teachers.

Nationwide, various activi­ties and events are underway to commemorate the sacrifices of the innocent children. 

On this solemn occasion, the entire nation, encompassing its leadership and civil soci­ety, pays homage to the mar­tyred children and teachers, acknowledging their profound sacrifices.

Meanwhile, former prime minister and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif paid rich tribute to the martyrs of APS tragedy.

“We cannot forget the day of Dec 16, 2014 when our inno­cent children were targeted in terrorism,” Sharif said.

He added that the entire na­tion got united against terror­ism on this day nine years ago. 

A decisive war against terror­ism was started under the lead­ership of Nawaz Sharif nine years ago and then the terror­ists were eliminated through operations Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasad, he said.

He also lauded the security forces of the country for sacri­ficing their lives while defend­ing the motherland.

Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhut­to Zardari, described the Army Public School Peshawar mas­sacre as a dark day in the na­tional history, emphasizing that the memory of this horrif­ic bloodshed remained vivid in the minds of every Pakistani. We will not forget the martyrs or this tragedy. We stand by the families of victims of ter­rorism, he said. Drawing on his personal connection as the son of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, he expressed solidarity with the grief-stricken families.