Online Desk: President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday expressed the nation’s determination to root out the remains of terrorism and extremism from Pakistan.
He said the day of December 16 reminded the nation to get united against terrorism and increase efforts to eliminate this menace.
The president said the terrorists mercilessly killed “our citizens, including our children, adding the terrorists showed their animosity towards public by attacking teachers and children”.
“Attack on the children was cruel and against humanity,” he added.
President Zardari said the APS tragedy made it clear that the terrorists’ agenda was to create chaos and anarchy in the country. The day left imprints on the collective memory of the nation, he added.
Conveying his sympathies to the heirs of the children, he said incidents like the APS attack “exposed the real face of terrorists and khawarij”, asserting that the nation would not let the terrorists succeed in their nefarious designs.
Stating that the APS incident united the nation against terrorism, the president said the political leadership of Pakistan also sacrificed in the war against terrorism.
“Today, we pay tribute to the brave soldiers, security organisations and citizens for their sacrifices against terrorism. We will not let go in vain the sacrifices of our children, leaders and the citizens.”
However, he stressed, the international community has to “make collective efforts to eradicate terrorism”.
In his message on the APS attack anniversary, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif affirmed that the entire nation was “standing as a wall of fortified steel against the coward terrorists” and would not forget the incident.
Noting that 10 years had passed since the unforgettable tragedy and loss of lives at APS, the premier said, “Our heart is still in grief and we are shedding tears of blood.”
Calling the terrorists “ruthless and vile” in a post on X, PM Shehbaz said they caused “havoc and destruction”.
He highlighted that the children were “robbed off their lives, their dreams, their hopes, their future”.No amount of time can erase the trauma of the children who witnessed the unfathomable horrors on that day, nor can it ease the grief and suffering of the families who lost their loved ones,” the premier noted.
PM Shehbaz further said: “Let us reaffirm our commitment to building a safer, more secure Pakistan, where no innocent will be harmed, no child will have to live in fear, injustice will be punished and punished severely.”
“This is a promise we must make together. We owe it to the victims of this tragedy, to ensure that their lives were not lost in vain. We shall never forget. We shall not forgive,” the prime minister asserted.
