——— On Dec 16, 2014, 147 students and teachers were martyred in attack on school
——— President, PM pay rich tribute to APS martyrs
——— President asserts Dec 16 reminded the nation to get united against terrorism
——— APS martyrs’ sacrifice laid foundation for lasting peace, claims Gandapur
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The 10th anniversary of the deadly attack on Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar that claimed the lives of more than 140 people, 134 of them schoolchildren, is being observed across the country today (Monday).
On Dec 16, 2014, six terrorists affiliated with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had stormed the APS and martyred 147 students and teachers.
It was the deadliest attack in the country’s history. The carnage prompted the government to declare an all-out war against the terrorist outfits. In the wake of the attack, military courts were set up for trying terrorists under amendments made to the Constitution and the Army Act.
Pakistan army said the six militants, who were involved in the attack, had been executed. The military courts, established soon after the attack, awarded death sentences to 310 militants and 56 of them have been executed so far, said a statement issued by the Pak Army. The mastermind of the APS massacre, Umar Mansour (alias Khalifa Mansour and later known as Umar Naray), was killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan. Ten years on – despite the counter-terrorism National Action Plan (NAP) that was chalked out days af-ter the APS massacre and other security strategies – some parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa remain a relatively easy target for militants. The massacre changed the perception of Pakistan against terrorism and people in the country raised voices for a uniformed action against all types of militancy.
Following the attack, political parties and security departments formed the National Action Plan to stem extremism and terrorism. Later, Pakistani parliament unanimously approved the formation of military courts for speedy trials of the hardcore terrorists.
The terrorists began their attack in mid-morning when they entered the school compound by scaling a wall.
At that time, more than 1,000 students, many of them children of military personnel, and staff were present in the school.
They bombed their own vehicle to divert the attention of school guards. They entered the main as-sembly hall, where a large group of students was taking a lesson in first aid, and started shooting indis-criminately.
The attackers, who were armed with automatic guns and hand grenades, then went to various class-rooms, where they targeted teachers and older boys.
Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur paid tribute to the martyrs on the 10th anniversary of the Army Public School (APS) tragedy, calling their sacrifice an unforgettable chapter in history.
Speaking on the occasion, Gandapur described the APS attack as one of the most heart-wrenching in-cidents in the nation’s history.
“The tragedy of APS united the entire nation, government, and institutions against a common enemy,” he said, adding that the event continues to bring tears to every eye and laid the basis for lasting peace in Pakistan.
The KP Chief Minister emphasised that the incident spurred the nation to take decisive action against terrorism.
He highlighted how political and military leadership came together after the tragedy to devise the Na-tional Action Plan, which proved to be a timely and effective step towards a peaceful Pakistan.
He acknowledged the immense grief of the affected families, stating, “Today is a day of deep anguish for the parents who lost their beloved children forever to this heinous act.”
The APS attack, which targeted innocent children, remains a solemn reminder of the price paid in the fight against terrorism and the resilience of the Pakistani nation.
