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.