ISLAMABAD: The 8th anniversary of terrorist attack on Army Public School Peshawar is being observed across the country and abroad. The incident had taken place on Dec 16, 2014, when above 140 innocent lives had been brutally taken by the terrorists.
At the time of the incident, APS held more than 1,000 staff members and students; many of the students were children of military personnel. The terrorists began their attack in mid-morning, entering the main assembly hall, where a large group of students was taking a lesson in first aid, they proceeded to shoot indiscriminately. The attackers, who were armed with grenades and automatic rifles, then went to the classrooms, where they concentrated their fire on teachers and older children.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif remembered the victims of the Army Public School (APS) attack, saying this day is a message to the whole world that Pakistan has made great sacrifices to eradicate terrorism. The premier took to his official Twitter handle and said: “Every year, December 16 reminds the entire nation of the agony and sorrow when the terrorists carried out atrocities in APS Peshawar.”
ہر سال 16 دسمبر کا دن پوری قوم کو اس کرب اوردکھ کی یاد دلاتا ہےجب دھشگردوں نےAPS پشاور میں ظلم کی داستان رقم کی.برسوں بعد بھی غم ہے کہ بھلایا نہیں جاتا. آج سانحہ APS کےشہداء سےعقیدت اور ان کے لواحقین کا غم بانٹنےکا دن ہے.پاکستانی قوم اپنےشہیدوں کی قربانیاں کبھی فراموش نہیں کرے گی
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) December 16, 2022
Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb also paid homage to the martyrs and said despite the passage of eight years, even today we are unable to forget the tragedy. She said “the cowardly evil elements attacked the future of the nation, the young children and martyred them,” adding that the martyrs of the APS tragedy united the nation against terrorism and said that “this day will always remind us of the great sacrifices of the martyrs of APS.”
Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Department has directed all schools in the province to hold special functions and prayers in connection with the heart-wrenching incident today.
On this day in 2014, six terrorists stormed the Army Public School Peshawar and martyred one hundred and forty-seven innocent students and teachers of the school.
Meanwhile in a statement, Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf said the pain of Army Public School Peshawar tragedy is still fresh in the nation’s heart.
He said the resilience and courage of the bereaved families and students of APS have reinforced the nation’s resolve to root out militancy in all forms and manifestations.
