Daily Times

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has strongly condemned suicide blast at the gate of Civil Hospital, Quetta, and expressed deep sense of sorrow and grief over the loss of precious human lives.

In a statement on Monday, the chief minister said that spilling blood of innocent unarmed people in a hospital showed that these barbarians have nothing to do with Islam or Pakistan. He said, “We denounce them and the world also denounces them. The perpetrators of this brutal act will be hunted down and will not be spared. Our hearts weep for the blood spilt in Quetta but our resolve gets stronger by the hour. We shall not rest till terrorists get eliminated from our soil.”

The chief minister said that such cowardly activities could not weaken the resolve of the nation, adding that those targeting innocent people deserve no leniency. He said that martyrdom of innocent people in the terrorist attack was a tragedy and Punjab government fully shared the grief of the affected families. He further said that terrorists have displayed worst kind of brutality and barbarism in the hospital, adding that he was at a loss for words to express his sentiments over this tragic incident.

Shahbaz said that Pakistan Army, Police and citizens have rendered supreme sacrifices in the war against terrorism and more than 50,000 Pakistanis, including officers of Pak Army, police besides common citizens, have laid down their lives. The chief minister announced a day of mourning in Punjab over the suicide attack at the gate of Civil Hospital, Quetta while the national flag would also fly at half-mast.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also condemned the murder of Balochistan Bar Association President Bilal Anwar Kasi in Quetta. In a condolence message, the chief minister prayed for the departed soul and extended courage and strength to the bereaved family.

Moreover, Shahbaz Sharif has taken notice of the news of firing on nurses in Rawalpindi and sought a report from RPO Rawalpindi in this regard. He ordered immediate arrest of the accused involved in the incident and expressed sympathies and condolence with the family of the deceased nurse and directed to provide best treatment facilities to the injured nurses.