PESHAWAR: The ninth anniversary of the Army Public School Peshawar massacre was observed here on Saturday amid tears, sobs, and tributes to martyrs.

The main function was held in the APS whose 147 students and staff members were martyred by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan militants in the Dec 16, 2014, attack.

Besides parents and relatives of the martyrs, teachers and students of the school also attended the event. They held Quran Khwani, prayed for martyrs, and lit candles at the memorial to them.

Parents of martyrs along with civil society members also showed up at the Shuhada-i-APS Public Library and lit candles at a memorial to martyrs.

Asfandyar complains NAP against terrorism not implemented according to its spirit

Shuhada-i-APS Forum president Ajoon Khan told Dawn that the government should ensure that the anniversary of the APS massacre is observed in schools across the country.

He complained that parents of the martyred students demanded the participation of Peshawar’s corps commander in the functions for the massacre’s anniversary but that didn’t happen.

Meanwhile, Awami National Party central president Asfandyar Wali Khan said the people would always remember the APS tragedy.

“Terrorists killed innocent students and their teachers for no fault of theirs,” Mr Asfandyar said in a statement issued here in connection with the APS attack’s anniversary.

The ANP leader said Dec 16, 2014 was a black day of the country’s history.

He said his party’s more than 1,200 workers and leaders had rendered their lives in the war on terror.

Mr Asfandyar said after the APS massacre, a national action plan was formulated with the consent of all stakeholders to eradicate terrorism from the country.

“The people pinned high hopes in the national action plan thinking the issue of terrorism would be taken seriously, but unfortunately, the plan was not implemented according to its spirit,” he said.

The ANP chief said the enemies of peace were still active from Waziristan to Chitral with the incidents of terrorism and targeted killings being reported in the province on a daily basis.

Also, functions were held in Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts to mark the anniversary of the 2014 TTP attack on APS.

The speakers paid tribute to the victims of the APS carnage.

District Boy Scouts Association held a function in the Government Higher Secondary School No 3 in Michenkhel area of Lakki city with ADEO Dr Ihsanullah, principal Waris Khan, teachers, scout leaders and students being in attendance.

The speakers said the nation saluted the APS martyrs for offering the supreme sacrifice in the war against terrorism.

They said the APS students and teachers, security personnel and civilians, who laid down their lives for peace, were the real heroes of the nation.

The speakers said though the cowardly enemy targeted innocent students in the APS nine years ago, the carnage united the nation and led the armed forces into eliminating terrorism and restoring peace in the country.

The Apex Education System also commemorated the APS attack’s anniversary in its schools.

Students paid tribute to martyred students in speeches and tableaus and prayed for them.

AES director Malik Niaz Ali Khan and other speakers declared the APS carnage one of the most tragic and barbaric events in the country’s history.

They said terrorists committed a brutality against humanity by massacring a large number of people, mostly students.

The speakers said the sacrifices of APS students and teachers for peace won’t go to waste.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2023