APS Peshawar tragedy: Political elite expresses unity to root out terrorism

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has said the terrorist attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar nine years ago strengthened the determination of the nation against terrorism. 

In his message on the anniversary of the APS tragedy, caretaker PM Kakar said nine years ago, the enemy unsuccessfully tried to undermine the morale of the nation in the war against terrorism. It was a tragedy that moistened the eyes of the whole world.

He further said that the entire nation sympathised with the parents whose children rendered a great sacrifice in this tragedy. Principal of the Army Public School, Shaheed Tahira Qazi, and other teachers stood before the beasts as a rock wall to protect their students, and sacrificed their lives, he maintained. 

The prime minister said cowardly terrorists can never defeat this nation where fearless people like Shaheed Tahira Qazi and Shaheed Aitzaz Hasan did not even care about their lives to save others. The nation had won the war on terrorism and foiled all the tactics of the enemy to spread mischief and chaos in the country.

Kakar further said the entire nation was proud of its martyrs and their families. He said the nation was saddened by the memory of the Army Public School tragedy, but it was stronger than ever and united against this menace.

The Pakistani nation stood by its security forces until all the miscreants were brought to justice. The PM said the nation paid tribute to all the security forces personnel, including police, rangers and Pakistan Army, who hunted down the terrorists from their hideouts and brought them to an end after this tragedy.

Shehbaz Sharif

In his message, the former prime minister and PML-N president said the dark day of December 16 reminded everyone of the innocent children who were martyred in the Army Public School, Peshawar attack.

16 دسمبر 2014 کا سیاہ دن ہمیں آرمی پبلک سکول پشاور میں دہشت گردی کا نشانہ بننے والے معصوم بچوں کی یاد دلاتا ہے۔ ہم شہداء اور ان کے خاندانوں کے ساتھ کھڑے ہیں اور دہشت گردی کے خلاف بطور ایک قوم متحد ہیں۔ 9 سال پہلے آج کے دن پوری قوم دہشت گردی کے خلاف ایک بیانیے پر جمع ہوئی اور…

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) December 16, 2023

He said the nation stood by the martyrs and their families and was united as a nation against terrorism. "Nine years ago today, the entire nation gathered on one narrative against terrorism and under the leadership of the then prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, a decisive battle to end terrorism was launched and the terrorists were wiped out through operations Zarb-e-Azb and Raddul Fasaad," Shehbaz said in a post on his X account.

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari