Nation condemns terrorist attacks

President, PM, COAS and others lambast cowardly acts

ISLAMABAD: The president, the prime minister and the army chief on Friday strongly condemned the terrorist incidents in Parachinar, Quetta and Karachi, reiterating the resolve that terrorism and extremism would be completely eliminated from the country.

President Mamnoon Hussain condemned the incidents which claimed the lives of more than 50 people. He ordered all possible help to the affected people.

The president said that the police personnel in Karachi, who embraced martyrdom while performing their duties, would be remembered by the nation forever.

He directed the security institutions to ensure the protection of life and property of the masses, while reiterating that terrorism and extremism would be completely eliminated from the country and law and order would be fully restored.



In his reaction, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also strongly condemned the terrorist attacks and directed the authorities to beef up security arrangements across the country.

"Terrorists are attacking soft targets and no Muslim can ever imagine committing such a horrific act," the prime minister was quoted in a statement from his media cell. "Such acts of terrorism will be dealt with [with] full power of the state," he said.

The prime minister, while expressing deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the attacks, prayed for eternal peace for the departed souls and grant of courage to the bereaved families to bear the irreparable loss. He also prayed for swift recovery of those injured in the terrorist attacks.

Meanwhile, Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations Major General Asif Ghafoor said security had been tightened across the country.



"Special Intelligence-Based Operations and search operations are being carried out with the help of intelligence and other law enforcement agencies," he tweeted.

In his tweet, he quoted Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa as saying: "Enemy trying to mar the festive mood of the nation through such cowardly acts shall fail against the resilience of Pakistan.”

Strongly condemning the acts of terror, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan directed the concerned quarters to submit an inquiry report into the tragic incidents.

In a statement, the minister expressed sympathies with the families of the bereaved people. He also prayed for early recovery of the injured.



Furthermore, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi condemned the bomb blasts in Parachinar and Quetta, and the incident of target killing in Karachi.

In their separate statements, the speaker and the deputy speaker termed the incidents ‘heinous acts of terrorism’ and expressed their profound grief over the loss of precious lives. They prayed for early recovery of the injured. They also prayed for the souls of the martyred and sympathised with their bereaved families.