ISLAMABAD: Five years into the country’s most heart-wrenching terrorist attack, in which the Taliban murdered 149 people, most of them schoolchildren, Pakistani leaders vow to never forget the victims and the way they died.
On Dec. 16, 2014, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) gunmen entered the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and opened fire on students and teachers, killing 132 children and 17 school staff.
On the fifth anniversary of the APS attack, parents held candlelit vigils in Peshawar to remember the victims.
Special prayers were also offered in different parts of the city to remember the carnage.
The army-run school that came under terrorist attack displayed a huge banner carrying photos of the students killed in the attack and held a special prayer ceremony.
President Arif Alvi said the nation must not forget “the massacre of little angels” and teachers. It is “hard to commemorate this day without tears in one’s eyes. In its remembrance, we reiterate our pledge to root out terrorism and extremism in all its manifestations from our country,” he said in a tweet on Monday.
“Today, we remember and pray for the survivors and victims of APS Peshawar incident. The blood of the innocent united the nation against all forms of extremism, terrorism, violence and hatred,” Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a statement.
While paying tribute to young martyrs, the premier also honored the sacrifices of the country’s security forces “in the fight against the scourge of terrorism.”
“We pledge on this day not to allow any militant mindset to take our country and the nation hostage to its bigoted vision,” Khan said.
The Pakistan Army’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), quoted Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa as saying “the APS carnage will never be forgotten. Five of the involved terrorists have been hanged through military courts. Salute to martyrs and their families.”
“We have come a long way in failing terrorism as a nation. United we move toward lasting peace and prosperity of Pakistan,” the Twitter post by the ISPR said.
Pakistan remembers lives lost in 2014 Peshawar school massacre
https://arab.news/p746j
Pakistan remembers lives lost in 2014 Peshawar school massacre
- PM says the blood of the innocent united the nation against all forms of extremism
- Army Public School carnage will never be forgotten, says army chief
Pakistan, China to sign multiple MoUs at major agriculture investment conference today
- Hundreds of Chinese and Pakistani firms to attend Islamabad event
- Conference seen as part of expanding CPEC ties into agriculture, trade
KARACHI: Islamabad and Beijing are set to sign multiple memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to boost agricultural investment and cooperation at a major conference taking place in the capital today, Monday, with hundreds of Chinese and Pakistani companies expected to participate.
The conference is being billed by Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research as a platform for deepening bilateral agricultural ties and supporting broader economic engagement between the two countries.
“Multiple memorandums of understanding will be signed at the Pakistan–China Agricultural Conference,” the Ministry of National Food Security said in a statement. “115 Chinese and 165 Pakistani companies will participate.”
The conference reflects a growing emphasis on expanding Pakistan-China economic cooperation beyond the transport and energy foundations of the flagship China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into agriculture, industry and technology.
Under its first phase launched in 2015, CPEC, a core component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, focused primarily on transportation infrastructure, energy generation and connectivity projects linking western China to the Arabian Sea via Pakistan. That phase included motorways, power plants and the development of the Gwadar Port in the country's southwest, aimed at helping Pakistan address chronic power shortages and enhance transport connectivity.
In recent years, both governments have formally moved toward a “CPEC 2.0” phase aimed at diversifying the corridor’s impact into areas such as special economic zones, innovation, digital cooperation and agriculture. Second-phase discussions have highlighted Pakistan’s goal of modernizing its agricultural sector, attracting Chinese technology and investment, and boosting export potential, with high-level talks taking place between planning officials and investors in Beijing.
Agri-sector cooperation has also seen practical collaboration, with joint initiatives examining technology transfer, export protocols and value-chain development, including partnerships in livestock, mechanization and horticulture.
Organizers say the Islamabad conference will bring together government policymakers, private sector investors, industry associations and multinational agribusiness firms from both nations. Discussions will center on investment opportunities, technology adoption, export expansion and building linkages with global buyers within the framework of Pakistan-China economic cooperation.
