By Asghar Ali Mubarak
The Army Public School massacre remains one of the darkest and most defining moments in Pakistan’s history. Eleven years on, the images of small coffins, shattered classrooms and stunned parents have not faded. Nor should they. The pain of December 16, 2014 is not a memory to be archived; it is a wound that continues to demand moral clarity, political courage and sustained action. The most meaningful tribute to the children and teachers who were slaughtered that day is not confined to speeches or ceremonies. It lies in the fearless and complete implementation of the National Action Plan, without hesitation, exceptions or political convenience. Pakistan had suffered years of terrorism before the APS attack, but the massacre of 147 people, including 132 children, stripped away all illusions.
It exposed the true nature of militancy and forced the state and society to confront an uncomfortable truth: ambiguity, appeasement and selective action had come at an unbearable cost. In the aftermath, the nation stood united in grief and resolve. Political parties, the military and civil society agreed that terrorism in all its forms had to be confronted decisively. The National Action Plan emerged from that consensus as a comprehensive roadmap to dismantle extremist networks, choke their financing, counter hate speech and strengthen the writ of the state. That resolve, however, has not always been matched by consistent execution. While Pakistan’s security forces have continued to pay in blood, political will has often wavered.
The families of martyrs, including those who lost loved ones long before APS, understand this cost intimately. For them, December 16 is not symbolic; it is personal. It is a reminder that every delay, every compromise and every double standard creates space for violence to return. The security environment has further deteriorated since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. The resurgence of militant activity has underlined how fragile gains can be when regional realities shift. Recognizing this, the state revised the National Action Plan into a 14-point framework, reflecting new threats and old lessons. Yet plans, however well-drafted, mean little without unwavering implementation. Terrorism does not respond to rhetoric; it exploits weakness, division and denial.
This is why the annual reaffirmations by the country’s leadership matter, but they are not sufficient. Statements by the president and prime minister marking the APS anniversary rightly emphasize zero tolerance for those who take up arms against the state. They honor the courage of bereaved families and acknowledge the sacrifices of security personnel. They also remind the nation that the struggle is far from over. But remembrance must translate into accountability. The promise of “no talks” with armed groups must be reflected in policy, not diluted by backchannels or political expediency. The scale of Pakistan’s suffering is undeniable. More than 90,000 lives have been lost to terrorism, a toll that places the country among the worst-affected globally.
These are not abstract numbers; they represent parents, children, teachers, soldiers and ordinary citizens whose lives were cut short. Pakistan’s sacrifices have contributed not only to its own security but to regional stability. This reality deserves international recognition, but it also imposes an obligation at home: to ensure that no martyr’s blood is rendered meaningless by inaction or inconsistency. The APS tragedy also stands as a powerful symbol of resistance. Teachers like Principal Tahira Qazi, who stood between gunmen and students, embodied moral courage at its highest. Parents who buried their children yet refused to surrender to despair showed a resilience that continues to inspire.
Survivors such as Ahmed Nawaz, who transformed personal trauma into global leadership, demonstrate that terrorism failed in its ultimate objective: to extinguish hope. These stories are reminders that while militants can kill, they cannot define a nation’s future unless it allows them to. Yet memory alone is not enough. Pakistan today faces a renewed wave of violence, from school buses to border regions, underscoring that extremism adapts when pressure eases. The state’s response must therefore be comprehensive, not episodic. Counter-terrorism is not solely a military task; it requires effective policing, judicial reform, financial transparency and an uncompromising stance against extremist narratives. Parliament’s role in sustaining this framework is crucial, as is the responsibility of political leaders to place national security above partisan gain.
(The writer is a senior journalist covering various beats, can be reached at editorial@metro-morning.com)
