ISLAMABAD: The 9th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Army Public School (APS), Peshawar, that claimed the lives of over 140 individuals was observed all over the country on Saturday.

The assault on December 16, 2014, orchestrated by militants, resulted in a major loss of lives, predominantly of students and teachers. Nationwide, various activities and events were held to commemorate the day. The entire nation, including the leadership and civil society, paid homage to the martyred children and teachers, acknowledging their profound sacrifices.

In a message, President Dr Arif Alvi said the Pakistani nation stood with its security forces in their efforts to get rid of terrorists and miscreants who were spreading lawlessness. “The nation pays tribute to the security forces for their sacrifices to restore peace and security in the country,” he added.

He said the grief for innocent children, who fell victim to the barbarity of terrorists in the tragedy of APS Peshawar, could never lessen. “This tragedy made people across the world grief stricken and every eye was tearful,” Alvi said, adding that nine years ago, the enemy assaulted our hope for the future in a bid to demoralise the nation in the war against terrorism but this tragic incident further strengthened the resolve and determination of the people against terrorism.

The president said he and the nation would always remember the supreme sacrifice of children. “The nation stands with the parents of the children who exemplified courage and shared their grief. The nation is united against terrorism and is determined to root out this evil,” he concluded.

In his message, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar paid tribute to the sacrifices of APS Shuhada and said that such precedents of sacrifices were rare in human history. The unfortunate incident had strengthened the nation’s resolve against terrorism, the interim prime minister said, giving a clear message to terrorists and enemies of peace that the Pakistani nation was united.

The caretaker PM further said that he, along with the entire nation, still remembered the great sacrifices of the students and paid tribute to them.

APS Principal Shaheed Tahira Qazi and other teachers stood against terrorists like a formidable wall and laid down their lives while saving the students, he added. Kakar said that the Pakistani nation had won the fight against terrorism and had foiled all the enemies’ nefarious designs of sowing anarchy and disorder.

He said though the entire nation was grieving over the tragic incident of APS but it had made it stronger against the specter of terrorism. He said the Pakistani nation was standing shoulder to shoulder with its security forces to send all terrorists who had been trying to disrupt peace of the country to hell.

He said the nation also paid tribute to the personnel of police force, Rangers, Army and other law enforcement agencies for eliminating the terrorists and their hideouts one by one after the occurrence of the APS tragedy.