In a message on the 7th anniversary of the Army Public School (APS) attack Prime Minister Imran Khan said that we the government would never disappoint the families of those martyred in the attack. The PM added that the nation had defeated terrorism and there is now a zero-tolerance policy for violence and those using it as a tool.
Dec 16, 2014, terrorists attacked & martyred over 140 ppl incl 132 children in APS,Peshawar. Pak has successfully defeated terrorism.I reiterate we will never let down the survivors & parents of our martyred children.There is zero tolerance for violence & those using it as a tool
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 16, 2021
Meanwhile, opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif questioned whether we as a nation had learned any lessons from and corrected our course after the incident. In a Twitter post, he wrote “December 16 will always remain a painful day for the nation, one whose memory bleeds our hearts. Have we learned any lessons & corrected our course? When will we sincerely put our heads together for better future of our children? There are too many questions but too few answers”.
December 16 will always remain a painful day for the nation, one whose memory bleeds our hearts. Have we learned any lessons & corrected our course? When will we sincerely put our heads together for better future of our children? There are too many questions but too few answers.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) December 16, 2021
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari demanded that those involved in the attack should be brought to justice. He also said that the nation is still suffering from the pain of “this great tragedy”.
The attack took place on December 16, 2014, when terrorists ambushed the school in Peshawar, martyring 141 people including 10 children. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack.
Following the attack all political parties came together and formed the 20-point National Action Plan (NAP) which included an operation in Karachi to dismantle the militant network there; FATA reforms; regulation of media to prevent the propagation of extremist narratives; social media regulation; and dismantling of terrorist networks including their communication infrastructure.
