APS students' sacrifices debts on us: General Bajwa

Dunya News

The nation must not forget December 16, 2014 as the enemy had 'wounded' us in Peshawar: COAS

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said on Saturday that sacrifices of the brave students of Peshawar Army Public School (APS) are unforgettable and debts on the nation.

The Army Chief paid a visit to Jhelum Firing Range and in his address he said that the nation must not forget December 16, 2014 as the enemy had ‘wounded’ us in Peshawar but the security forces turned the times around with professional expertise and undeterred stances.

General Bajwa addressed the closing ceremony of 37th shooting competition of Pakistan Army Rifle Association.

The Army Chief said that a National Action Plan (NAP) was chalked out after the attack. COAS Bajwa handed over Master At Arms trophy to constable Sajid Badshah from Bahawalpur Corps.

Earlier in the day, General Qamar Javed Bajwa said in a statement issued in connection with third anniversary of APS attack that the nation owes improved peace in Pakistan to the sacrifices rendered in war on terror.

“Remembering martyrs of APS Peshawar. The great sacrifice of our innocent beloved children & their brave families remains unforgettable. It symbolises our undeterred resolve in love of our motherland. Your sacrifice has not gone in vain, we owe this improving peace to you,” the ISPR quoted general Bajwa.


APS attack


On December 16, 2014, over 140 lives were lost in an attack on a school in Peshawar.

Young school-going children were massacred by terrorists who stormed the educational facility as a reaction to Operation Zarb-e-Azb, a large-scale security operation launched in mid 2014 in tribal areas of Pakistan to eliminate terror hideouts.

Pakistan Army conducted an operation killing the attackers and secured the premises with both the civil and military leadership coming on same page in the hours that followed in bid to rid Pakistan of banned outfits and operatives of terrorist organisations.

National Action Plan (NAP) was devised as a strategy to eliminate extremists in parts of Pakistan.