Prime Minister Imran Khan, in a message on the fourth anniversary of the terrorist attack on Peshawar’s Army Public School (APS), reiterated the nation’s resolve towards national, regional and world peace, Radio Pakistan reported yesterday.
He said that the massacre had united the whole nation against a common enemy, which he described as a “blot on humanity”.
He added that education is the best tool to eliminate extremism and terrorism permanently.
Khan paid tribute to members of the armed forces and law enforcement agencies who have rendered countless sacrifices in the war against terror.
The premier expressed the government’s commitment to turn Pakistan into a society which does not tolerate extremism or violence in the name of sect, religion, language, skin colour, or ethnicity.
The prime minister also tweeted about his government’s commitment towards the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP):
“Today, as we remember and pray for the survivors and the victims’ families, especially the parents, of the Peshawar APS terrorist attack, my government commits itself to fully implementing the NAP to rid Pakistan of all forms of terrorism, violence and hatred.”
President Arif Alvi said that the APS incident is a national tragedy.
He said the anniversary is a day to reiterate the country’s commitment against inimical forces.
Alvi urged the nation to be ready to make every sacrifice to curb extremism in the country.
A memorial was also arranged at APS Peshawar to pay homage to the students and teachers of the school who were slain.
Similar events were also held in other parts of the country.
In the deadliest terror attack in the country’s history, at least 144 people – mostly students – were killed when heavily-armed militants stormed the army-run public school on December 16, 2014.
Seven soldiers of the Special Services Group and two officers were among the wounded.
When the nightmare unfolded, the teachers and students had just returned to their classes following a recess.
Some of the students were gathered in the large auditorium for a lecture.
Days after the attack, the government launched the NAP to counter terrorism.
The NAP comprised policy initiatives aimed at wiping out terrorist outfits across the country, integrating security efforts of the federal and provincial governments by engaging all the stakeholders, dismantling terrorist networks, and ensuring deterrence by utilising available capabilities and resources of the security organisations to overcome internal threats to state security.
The newly-elected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government plans to unveil a new version of the NAP and restructure the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) to effectively tackle internal threats to security.
Coined NAP-2, the plan is aimed at bridging gaps in the first version rolled out in January 2015.
According to a document, the interior ministry plans to create a cyber- security organisation to effectively counter the growing threat of cyber-crimes.
The interior ministry plan also envisages restructuring the Nacta to make it more functional, building capacity of civil armed forces, upgrading the safe city project, and taking steps to curb currency smuggling from airports and borders.