Pakistani PM vows to continue anti-terror war on 2nd anniversary of school attack

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

The outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan had claimed the brutal and bloody attack on the Army Public School (APS) in the northwestern city of Peshawar on Dec. 16, 2014.

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

Parents and relatives of the slain students gathered in the APS to pay homage to the students and their teachers. Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Iqbal Zafar Jhagra 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 stand 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 defenseless school boys. 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 APS 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.

source: Xinhua