Army school attack anniversary: Pakistan PM vows to fight terror

Nawaz Sharif on Friday promised to continue the war against terrorism as Pakistan observed second anniversary of the attack on Army Public School in Peshawar.

Islamabad, Dec 16: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday promised to continue the war against terrorism in his message on the second anniversary of the attack on an army-run school, in which over 150 people were killed, mostly students.

The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan had claimed the brutal and bloody attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, on December 16, 2014.

Commemorating events were held across Pakistan, including the capital city of Islamabad, in schools to pay homage to those killed and to show solidarity with the families.

Parents and relatives of the slain students gathered in the school to pay homage to the students and their teachers. Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa joined the families at a ceremony to mark the second anniversary.

"I share the pain and grief with the bereaved families. The entire Pakistani nation feels and shares the pain of the tragedy and stands by the mourning families," Sharif said.

"Sixteenth December reminds us of the most painful tragedy of our lives when our innocent students were mercilessly killed at the place of their studies."

"It was a day when the heartless enemy committed an act of barbarism and savagery against defenceless school children. We cannot forget the agony of this day," said the Prime Minister.

He said the Pakistani nation and leadership took a clear and categorical decision for an indiscriminate action against terrorists after the incident.

"We decided to act with our full might for elimination of terrorism and extremism from our society; showing no mercy for those who martyred our little angels. The world has seen that we have dismantled the terrorists' networks and broken their back by rendering matchless sacrifices in this war of our survival," said Sharif.

Sharif assured the nation that his government will take this war to its logical conclusion to guarantee a peaceful and stable Pakistan for the future generations.

Bajwa said the blood of the victims has kept his patriotism alive. "The blood of APS victims is an obligation on the nation and the armed forces," said the army chief.

IANS