Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Moments after a devastating bombing at Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine in Sehwan, Sindh, the military issued a strong statement to “hostile powers”, saying such attacks will be responded to. In a short message posted to micro-blogging website Twitter on Thursday, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said, “Recent terrorist acts are being executed on directions from hostile powers and from sanctuaries in Afghanistan. We shall defend and respond.”

“Each drop of the nation’s blood shall be revenged, and revenged immediately. No more restraint for anyone,” the army chief was quoted as saying.

He added that Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has appealed for “calm”. “Your security forces shall not allow hostile powers to succeed. We stand for our nation,” Ghafoor quoted COAS Bajwa as saying. Earlier, General Qamar Javed Bajwa stressed the need for joint efforts by the army, law enforcers, intelligence agencies and civilians to foil the terrorists’ desperate manoeuvres.

During his visit to Mohmand and Bajaur Agencies – where he met troops and had an interaction with tribal elders – the army chief lauded the law enforcement agencies in Mohmand, especially the Levies, for thwarting Wednesday’s suicide attack and minimising the loss of lives.

He also appreciated the troops for effectively responding to the cross-border attack from Afghanistan on Pakistani post last week. He said that cooperation between “our brave citizens, army, LEAs and intelligence agencies is the cornerstone of our success against terrorism”.

He said that terrorists were trying to regroup in safe havens in Afghanistan and were attempting to spread “despondency in our society”, according to a statement issued by the ISPR.