Islamabad, Dec 16 (PTI) Pakistan on Monday observed the 10th anniversary of the tragic Peshawar school attack amidst a sharp rise in militancy across the country.

On December 16, 2014, six terrorists stormed the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar, killing at least 147 people, most of them children and their teachers, including the school principal, Tahira Qazi.

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Special prayers were held nationwide for the "martyred students and teachers", while the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa education department organised special functions to honour the victims, Radio Pakistan reported.

Families of those killed and injured also held private prayer sessions and commemorative ceremonies in their homes.

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A memorial has been built at the school to honour the victims. Visitors paid homage to the victims, while the school's auditorium — the site of the brutal attack — has been transformed into a library, symbolising resilience and the triumph of knowledge over terror.

Marking the solemn occasion, schools and educational institutions in several cities of Punjab, including Islamabad, were closed for the day following a public holiday declaration. While the official announcement did not specify the reason, sources attributed the closure to heightened security concerns.

A judicial commission established to investigate the attack cited a "security failure" as the cause, raising questions about the country's security apparatus. The tragedy remains a stark reminder of the persistent threat posed by militancy in Pakistan.

Despite significant strides in counterterrorism efforts, including dismantling terrorist safe havens and command systems, the country continues to grapple with violence.

According to a report by the Ministry of Interior, 1,566 terrorism incidents occurred in the first 10 months of 2024, resulting in 924 deaths and 2,121 injuries. At least 573 killed and 1,353 injured belonged to various law enforcement agencies, including the army.

From January to October this year, security agencies conducted 2,801 operations nationwide, eliminating 341 terrorists, the ministry said.

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