Pakistan marked the seventh anniversary of the Peshawar Army Public School (APS) massacre on Thursday. Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan said that there will be “zero tolerance for violence and those using it as a tool”.
Taking to Twitter, the premier tweeted, “December 16, 2014, terrorists attacked & martyred over 140 ppl incl 132 children in APS, Peshawar. Pakistan has successfully defeated terrorism.”
“I reiterate we will never let down the survivors & parents of our martyred children,” wrote PM Khan.
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif, tweeted, “Have we learned any lessons & corrected our course? When will we sincerely put our heads together for [a] better future of our children?”
Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said the nation still felt the pain of “this great tragedy”, adding that “everyone is still waiting for justice to be served to the innocent souls”.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi tweeted, “Today, 7 years ago, we lost our children and teachers in an inhuman terrorist attack. A black day for humanity. We will never forget. #APSPeshawar.”
Senator Sherry Rehman tweeted, “It’s a shame that even after all this time, the govt has still asked for more time to submit its report to the SC. The parents are waiting for justice while this govt is talking about giving amnesty to those responsible.”
PPP leader Hina Rabbani Khar tweeted, “The day when millions of Hearts Broke. A day when 132 dreams were broken. The most dark day in the history of Pak. We will never forget you angels. We also remember the school staff & bravest lady Mrs Tahira Qazi who sacrificed her life to protect the children. #BlackDay.”
Author Fatima Bhutto tweeted, “Always in our hearts #APSPeshawar.”
APS to date remains the deadliest terror attack in Pakistan’s history, 131 school children and 10 other people were martyred when heavily armed militants stormed the school building on December 16, 2014.
