Islamabad, 16th December, 2017: On the third anniversary of the gruesome attack on the Army Public School (APS), Senator Sehar Kamran (TI) said despite being three years, the scars and wounds from that day are still fresh in our memory and heart. She stated that three years on, it seems we as a State have learnt nothing from the deadly APS tragedy which resulted in the martyrdom of 150 people, mostly children, as it has been unable to implement the much propagated National Action Plan (NAP) in its true letter and spirit, announced immediately after the horrific events of 16th December, 2014.
Senator Kamran said the State’s inability to curb hate speech will have far-reaching consequences for the society in general and the country in particular. She opined that as we continue to fight and eradicate the deadly menace of terrorism and violent extremism from the country, without putting an end to hate speeches and financial flow to such individuals, groups or organizations, only limited success can be achieved. She stressed on developing a long-term psycho-social strategy to benefit from the gains made by military action which has been completely missing.
Senator Sehar Kamran paid tribute to the families of the children and teachers who lost their lives that day. She also commended the brave security forces for apprehending not only the APS attackers but also their facilitators. She said it is high time that we resolve our differences and work towards a better future. This day is a reminder that the supreme sacrifices rendered by children and teachers on 16th December, 2014, cannot go in vain, and we as a nation must stand together to eliminate the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism once and for all.