Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said the nation would always stand united, firm and unwavering in its resolve to eradicate the scourge of terrorism, as the country marked the anniversary of the 2014 Army Public School attack in Peshawar.

Sharif made the remarks in a post on his X handle on December 16, the day that commemorates the deadly assault on the school that claimed about 150 lives, most of them students.

“Today, we pay tribute to the victims of the Army Public School Peshawar incident, who sacrificed their precious lives for the future of our beloved homeland. The sacrifice of these innocent children and teachers is forever etched in our national conscience,” he said.

He added that the tragedy serves as a constant reminder of “our shared responsibility to defeat terrorism”.

“The entire nation stands united in this war against terrorism and is determined to completely eradicate this evil force from our land,” the prime minister said.

Separately, President Asif Ali Zardari reiterated that Pakistan’s commitment to defeating terrorism is absolute and that there can be no soft corner for terrorists or those who support, finance, shelter or justify them.

“The sacrifice of APS students and staff remains a solemn reminder of the heavy price our nation has paid in the fight against terrorism,” he said, adding that the nation will always honour the resilience of the APS families who transformed their grief into strength for Pakistan.

Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi described the tragedy as “one of the most heartbreaking chapters in Pakistan’s history” and said the attack “exposed the brutal face of terrorism to the world”.

He said terrorists deliberately targeted innocent children and described the assault as an attack on the state of Pakistan and the future of the nation.

“There is now no ambiguity or expediency in the fight against terrorism,” Naqvi said, adding that terrorism was “unacceptable under any name or flag”.

In a statement issued on the anniversary, the foreign office said Pakistan “faces a persistent threat from terrorist elements operating from across the border, with sustained support from our adversaries.”

It said Pakistan has consistently drawn attention to this challenge and taken resolute measures to prevent terrorism from spilling over into its territory.

The foreign office said Pakistan has acted as a bulwark against the spread of terrorism beyond its borders, contributing significantly to the security and stability of the wider region and beyond.

“This unrefuted reality underscores the urgent need for concrete action to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries and to cut off all forms of support to all terrorist groups, including those targeting Pakistan,” it said.

The ministry added that the tragic anniversary of the 2014 school attack underscores the continuing urgency of eradicating the menace of terrorism.