ANKARA, DEC 16 /DNA/ – A solemn commemorative ceremony was held today at Keçiören Orman Park, Ankara, to honour the memory of the school children and staff who were martyred in the heinous terrorist attack on Army Public School (APS), Peshawar, in 2014. The event was attended by the Ambassador of Pakistan to Türkiye, Dr. Yousaf Junaid, Deputy Mayor of Keçiören Municipality, Mr. Atilla Zorlu, representatives of civil society and officials from Keçiören Municipality and the Embassy of Pakistan.
Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Dr. Yousaf Junaid stated that the attack on the innocent school children was an assault on the collective conscience of humanity. The Ambassador noted that the tragedy had further strengthened Pakistan’s resolve to eliminate terrorism. Since then, Pakistan’s defence forces have undertaken decisive and successful counter-terrorism operations, guided by the National Action Plan. While significant progress has been made, the fight against terrorism continues, he added.
Ambassador Junaid expressed profound gratitude to the people and government of Turkiye for their enduring solidarity and for preserving the memory of the innocent lives lost to terrorism. Ambassador Junaid reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with Turkiye in its fight against terrorism.
In his speech, Deputy Mayor of Keçiören Municipality Mr. Atilla Zorlu strongly condemned the brutal terrorist attack on innocent children. He affirmed that the people of Türkiye would continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with their Pakistani brethren in all spheres, particularly in the joint fight against terrorism.
Ambassador Dr. Yousaf Junaid, together with Deputy Mayor Zorlu and other dignitaries, offered fateha and laid wreath at the memorial dedicated to the APS martyrs. The trees at Keçiören Orman Park, planted in January 2015 by Keçiören Municipality in collaboration with the Embassy of Pakistan, stand as a lasting tribute to the memory of the martyred children.
