Dec 16 will always be remembered as ‘black day’ when our children were attacked: PM

Urges the nation to make a pledge to build a democratic society with zero tolerance for violence and extremism

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan mourns Peshawar Army Public School (APS) attack on Saturday, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has urged the nation to make a pledge to build a democratic society with zero tolerance for violence and extremism in name of religion, sect, ethnicity or race.



In his message to the nation on the anniversary of the APS incident, the prime minister said the day would be remembered as a black day in the history of Pakistan when barbaric elements targeted the innocent children of a Peshawar school.

In an instant three years ago on December 16, the peace was shattered – gunfire, smoke and dead bodies strewn across the school’s halls and corridors, with crazed militants rushing from room to room shooting randomly at pupils and adults. At least 141 people including 132 APS students were killed in the broad daylight attack on the military-run school, an assault lauded by Taliban as revenge for the killings of their own relatives by the army.

“The Pakistani nation has rendered unprecedented sacrifices in the war against terrorism, more than any other nation in the world,” said PM Abbasi.

He said the APS tragedy had led to the historic national unity and promoted the nation to make a firm resolve for unanimously launching a decisive action against terrorists.

The valiant security forces of Pakistan, PM Abbasi added, defeated the terrorists under the National Action Plan (NAP) and broke their back consequent to their tireless efforts.

“The blood of the innocent people has come to fruition making the Pakistani nation the only nation across the world that had defeated the terrorists.”

The premier said, “The memory of the APS victims would continue disturbing us. This day would keep recalling us as how much innocent souls we had sacrificed to purge our homeland of terrorists.”

“December 16 is the day to pay tribute to those innocent people and sympathize with their grieved parents and the nation would keep their immortal sacrifice alive forever.”



The PM continued that it was also the day to renew our national resolve against terrorism and keep all of the extremists from our ranks.

“The entire Pakistani nation pays tribute to its innocent martyrs, Pakistan Army, police and security forces and makes a pledge to take this struggle to its logical end,” said the premier in his message.