President Asif Ali Zardari said that Pakistan’s commitment to defeating terrorism was absolute and reiterated that there could be no soft corner for terrorists or those who supported, financed, sheltered or justified them.
“There can be no negotiations with those who raise arms against the state or target our children,” the president said in a message on the 11th anniversary of the APS Peshawar attack. He said the memory of the APS martyrs strengthened their resolve. Pakistan would never allow the enemies of peace to succeed.
Today, he said, they remembered the innocent children and staff of the Army Public School whose lives were taken in the brutal terrorist attack on 16 December 2014, adding their sacrifice remained a solemn reminder of the heavy price the nation had paid in the fight against terrorism.
“We stand with the families who continue to bear this pain with courage. The nation will always honour the resilience of the APS families who transformed their grief into strength for Pakistan,” he added.
The president said that they strongly condemned the Indian sponsored terrorism in Pakistan.
“The evidence of its involvement in efforts to destabilise our country is well documented. Pakistan will continue to expose these hostile activities and will defend its people with full resolve,” President Secretariat Press Wing, in a press release, quoted the president as saying.
The president also paid tribute to the security forces, law enforcement agencies and intelligence services whose efforts had prevented many such tragedies.
He resolved that they would continue to pursue every terrorist and every facilitator until justice was done.
“Let me take this opportunity to warn the apologists, facilitators and supporters of terrorists that the people and the armed forces of Pakistan shall not spare them and will defeat them, no matter what political, ideological or fake religious garb they try to shroud themselves in,” he stressed.
APS students sacrificed their lives to bring peace in country
Bhai Khan Welfare, Founder and General Secretary Haji Muhammad Yasin Arain, stated that children sacrificed their lives to bring peace to the country. He expressed these thoughts while addressing a prayer ceremony held at the Welfare headquarters to commemorate the martyrs of the Army Public School (APS) Peshawar tragedy.
He further said that December 16, 2014, was the worst day in the history of the country. The fault of these innocent children was that they were Pakistanis.
Abdul Latif Sheikh and other speakers said in their addresses that we have not forgotten the atrocities of the Peshawar Public School tragedy that were inflicted on these innocent angels.
He further said that we salute our Pakistan Army, who laid their lives and sent these terrorists to hell.