Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that the blood of the Army Public School (APS) martyrs was an obligation on the nation and the armed forces.
While speaking at the memorial held for the martyrs at APS, Peshawar on Friday, General Bajwa said that the nation will always remember the sacrifices of the APS children and all institutions stand with the bereaved families in their tragedy.
Gen Bajwa said the armed forces are striving to bring the war against terrorism to a conclusion and will not rest until terrorism is completely uprooted.
Earlier, the current principal of the military-run school said, “The time of the attack was extremely difficult for the whole country. It felt as though we would never be able to come out of this pain. But we came out of that time better and stood strong in front of the enemy.”
Paying tribute to the 144 victims, mostly school children, she said, “We have not forgotten our children, our brave Principal, Tahira Kazi and the young soldiers whose martyrdom strengthened the country.”
Army chief Gen Qamar Jawed Bajwa laid a wreath and offered prayers at the memorial.
The gruesome massacre had served as a binding force for Pakistanis in the fight against terrorism. The political and military leadership had given a clarion call against terrorists, launching a comprehensive national strategy to defeat the menace.
Though the attack’s mastermind and his facilitators have been eliminated, the grieving parents continue to call for a judicial inquiry to unmask those responsible for the deadly assault and high number of casualties.
