PESHAWAR: The fifth anniversary of the horrible attack on the Army Public School (APS), Peshawar, will be observed on Monday.

On Dec 16, 2014, six terrorists affiliated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan conducted the attack on the school and killed 132 innocent students and 17 staff members.

In the memories of their beloved martyred sons, the parents held a candlelit vigil on the APS Shuhada Memorial located outside the Peshawar Archives Library on Sunday.

Moving scenes were witnessed during the vigil and mourning procession as several mothers burst into tears while watching the pictures of their martyred children and discussing their memories.

The parents also organised Quran Khwani on the Archives Library’s premises and prayed to Allah to rest the departed souls in Jannatul Firdaus.

A big banner with the pictures of the martyred students was displayed on the APS Shuhada Hall.

The parents also held banners and pictures of their martyred children during the mourning procession, which emerged from the Archives Library and culminated at the Peshawar Press Club.

“We have not forgotten the martyrs of the APS tragedy,” read a banner.

On Monday, the main official programme will be held on the APS campus to be attended by parents of the martyrs. High-ups of the army and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government are also likely to attend the event.

Other programmes will be held in the APS Shuhada Hall in the Archives Library and Islamia College University, Peshawar.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, he recalled that the attack had united the nation in its fight against terrorism.