Six years ago today the nation was shaken to the core after the barbaric APS massacre in Peshawar which killed 149 people, 132 being school children between the ages of 8 to 18 years.
Ever since 2014, 16th December has been a heavy, dark and gloomy day every year and people have taken to various social media platforms to mourn the irreplaceable loss:
Today, six years ago, the nation was shocked & grieved by the extreme act of terrorism against children & teachers of APS; & the nation came together with a resolve to take on those responsible. We remain determined & are moving forward in fulfilling this commitment to the nation
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 16, 2020
Aseefa Bhutto Zardari mourned the loss:
Remembering our innocent children today, brutally taken from us by cowards wielding guns, and the teachers who shielded children till their last breath. We remember them; we mourn them; we share the grief and pain of the families awaiting justice #APSPeshawar
— Aseefa B Zardari (@AseefaBZ) December 16, 2020
We will never forget:
#APSMartyrsDay
The scars of horrific incident of Army Public School in Peshawar are still fresh in the memory of nation even after six years, when the heavily-armed attackers had opened fire at schoolchildren leaving them in a pool of blood. pic.twitter.com/kqaZm5HChc— Hammad (@ISF_LioN) December 15, 2020
Little heroes:
For the 132 children who went to school and never came back, prayers, always 🕯 #APSMartyrsDay
— Manahil 🌻 (@Whatevenmanahil) December 15, 2020
People were calling the massacre ‘death of humanity:’
If you kill one innocent soul, It is as if you've killed the entire humanity.
(Holy Quran)We will never forget, never forgive..#Remembering_APSMartyrs #APSPeshawar #APS_ToHeaven #اےپی_ایس_کےشہدا_کوسلام #APS_ToHeaven pic.twitter.com/Ghl4VLk042
— Muhammad.asfia_ (@AsfiaMuhammad) December 16, 2020
💔
A day when whole nation cried and moaned over the death of little souls.These are the real heroes who's death united the nation against war on terror.
We can't forget.💔#APSMartyrsDay#APSPeshawar #Remembering_APSMartyrs@TeamISP__#APS_ToHeaven pic.twitter.com/7hOO2ZlTIN— Hassan Askari (@ihassanaskry) December 16, 2020
Beshak:
APS incident,the most heart wrenching event till today. No words can ever console the parents who lost their flowers in this tragedy.
SALUTE TO INNOCENT SOULS#APS_ToHeaven #APSPeshawar#16DecAPSMartyrsDay #APS_WeCantForGetYou#APS_ToHeaven @peaceforchange pic.twitter.com/SouProLsgn— RaO M MiNHaS IqBaL (@RaOMMiNHaSIqBa1) December 16, 2020
They are always in our prayers:
Don't forget to pray for the families of #APSPeshawar attack.
The shuhada's are in a better place msure inshaAllah but their families need our prayers to stay strong always and specially on this day.
May Allah Grant them sabar and sukoon.Ameen.#APSPeshawar
#ہم_نہیں_بھولیں_گے pic.twitter.com/ti4lAijvm8— Ammara sheikh (@aemi_sh) December 16, 2020
Here’s hoping to never seeing such a day again:
A day when the whole nation cried💔#APSMartyrsDay#APSPeshawar #Remembering_APSMartyrs#APS_ToHeaven pic.twitter.com/rvXUQvgCWv
— منیب سرور (@sarwar_munib) December 16, 2020
Bara dushman bana phirta hai jo bachon se larta hai:
The enemy proved by attacking the children while they were studying that they are cowards and they want to spoil the peace of Pakistan. #اےپی_ایس_کےشہدا_کوسلام
#APSMartyrsDay#APS#APSPeshawar pic.twitter.com/3J7zDUF0om— Ayyaz Ahmad (@Ayyaz_ahmad78) December 16, 2020
The children will forever live in our hearts:
Always remember 16 December 2014 Black Day#APSMartyrsDay #Remembering_APSMartyrs #APS_ToHeaven #APSPeshawar pic.twitter.com/BEBeqXakdx
— Asim khan (@Assim_khaan) December 16, 2020
We will never forget you:
16th December comes again with the smell of blood and tears. It remind us what we lost. We remember you martyrs of APS Peshawar. #APSPeshawar pic.twitter.com/ljT3dJ0WSw
— Malik Naseer Awan (@Malik00686) December 15, 2020
Smallest coffins are the heaviest:
On December 16, 2014 the city of flowers saw the funerals of flowers.#APSMartyrsDay@ShaheenEPk pic.twitter.com/H4WEMWTv8P
— Shizramariyam (@shizramariyam) December 16, 2020
People were determined to get justice:
کل کے زخم آج پھر تازہ ہونگے۔
Army Public School 🎒; Peshawar school massacre, 16 December 2014.
This day our children got martyred.
NEVER FORGET, NEVER FORGIVE!! #APS_ToHeaven #APSMartyrsDay#APS_ToHeaven#Remembering_APSMartyrs pic.twitter.com/kSWWb3uoR0— رضا مہدی (@rizamehdi43) December 16, 2020
People were sharing every detail they remembered from the day:
More than 1000 students, from preschool to high school, were on the campus when the attack began. Militants entered classrooms and auditoriums and opened fire on students and teachers on December 16.#APSMartyrsDay@ShaheenEPk pic.twitter.com/vI3W7v4EWa
— Nudrat Javeria (@JaveriaNudrat) December 16, 2020
This gave us chills:
The world for us is still the same, but for 149 families it changed completely.#APSMartyrsDay pic.twitter.com/zG3l4RCaDk
— Abdul Rehman (@Arehman_pti) December 15, 2020
This is how resilient we are:
The Army Public School Peshawar was reopened on 12 January 2015 under the guard of Pakistan's security forces after attack on December 16, 2014.#APSMartyrsDay@ShaheenEPk pic.twitter.com/IJxK1x0lkG
— Sadia Younas 🦋🇵🇰🇹🇷 (@Sadiarajpoot99) December 15, 2020
The nation stood united against terrorism:
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.#APSMartyrsDay pic.twitter.com/cYXJoRJZON
— Naeem Abbas Khan (@NAK3594103) December 15, 2020
The pain will always remain fresh:
16 December ❗❗
So it comes again with the smell of blood and tears
Its been about 6 years ,the pain is still fresh !#NeverForgetNeverForgive #APSMartyrsDay #Remembering_APSMartyrs pic.twitter.com/0s6aKTBb2k
— Rana Sufyan (@RealSufii) December 15, 2020
Aameen!
The grief of the Army Public School Attack is still as fresh as it was back then. I hope no kid have to see such morning again and no land come across to see the tragic death of their kids in Schools.#APSMartyrsDay@Shaheen_E_PK pic.twitter.com/3jPBJ6oCzf
— Sara J Khan (@the_pantofolaio) December 15, 2020
We hope and pray the nation never sees a day like this again and salutes the people who lost their lives in the attack.