Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Monday said the cowardly terror attacks could not weaken the resolve of the nation against terrorism, and the miscreants and their facilitators involved in attacks on innocent citizens would be punished for their heinous crimes.

He was speaking during his visit to Peshawar after the deadly blast at the mosque of Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines during Zuhr prayers. Chief of Army Staff Syed Asim Munir received the prime minister on his arrival. He was accompanied by Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb. On the occasion, the Corps Commander Peshawar briefed the prime minister about the motives behind the terror attacks. Inspector General of Police Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muazzam Jah Ansari presented the initial investigation report about the attack. The PM was also shown the CCTV footage of the suicide attack on the Police Lines mosque. The participants of the meeting offered Fateha for the martyred, sympathized with the bereaved families, and prayed for the early recovery of the injured.

On the occasion, the prime minister said the terrorists were attacking the security institutions, which were defending Pakistan. They were making a nefarious attempt to create an atmosphere of fear and terror, and their designs would be foiled by the institutions and the people unitedly, he added. Pakistan had rendered great sacrifices against terrorism, and the sacrifices of the martyrs would not go waste, the prime minister said.

Shehbaz Sharif said the capacity of the anti-terrorism institutions and police would be enhanced and the National Action Plan would be implemented comprehensively and with full force. Meanwhile, the prime minister visited the Lady Reading Hospital to inquire after the persons injured in the blast. The prime minister took rounds of different wards and met the injured. He directed the hospital administration to provide the best medical facilities to the injured.

Speaking during his visit, he said those who shed the blood of the worshippers could not be Muslims. The criminals behind the terror attack would not be absolved by Allah Almighty, he remarked and vowed to root out the terrorists. He said the attacks on innocent citizens during prayers in mosques and in the name of Islam were the worst acts. The people of Pakistan had identified the real faces of the extremist elements who had a baseless ideology and were misinterpreting the religion, he added.

Earlier on his arrival at the hospital, the prime minister was received by caretaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Azam Khan, Adviser to the PM on Political Affairs Engr Amir Muqam, and IGP Muazzam Jah Ansari.