Nation observes second anniversary of APS carnage today

PESHAWAR -  The second anniversary of a terrorist attack on Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar is being observed today (Friday).

The day will be marked with functions all over the country to pay homage to martyred students and staff members of the school as well to highlight the need to root out terrorism from the country.

Deputy Commissioner of Peshawar issued a notification, stating that all private and public educational institutions would remain closed to observe the death anniversary of the students and teachers. Educational institutes in Mardan and Charsada would also remain closed.



A special event will also be arranged at Army Public School (APS) Peshawar to pay tribute to the brave children and teachers who lost their lives battling militants.



It was on this day in 2014 that a group of terrorists attacked Army Public School. Over one hundred and fifty innocent people including one hundred and twenty-five students of the school lost their lives in the ensuing massacre.

The tragic incident galvanised the nation and resulted in major policy decisions at national level with respect to the ongoing war on terror and maintenance of law and order in the country.



This resulted in the formulation of the National Action Plan against Terrorism, which was subsequently implemented with remarkable success.



Under the leadership of the former Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif, Operation Zarb-e-Azb was also initiated in order to rid the country of the scourge of terrorism.

The operation successfully eliminated scores of terrorists in the country, even though there is still quite a lot left to be done.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman and Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari took to their respective Twitter accounts to mourn the death of innocent souls.

https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/809617528293040128

https://twitter.com/BBhuttoZardari/status/809635125843595268