Peshawar blast: Inside story of apex committee’s meeting

PESHAWAR: The participants of the Apex Committee’s meeting, convened in Peshawar in the wake of a suicide blast in the city’s Police Lines Area, lauded Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) police role and said attempts were made to defame the provincial force, ARY News reported on Saturday.

According to details, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday chaired an apex committee meeting in Governor House Peshawar to discuss the Peshawar mosque blast and a strategy to tackle the emerging wave of terrorism in the country.

During the meeting, the participants appeared to be divided over questioning the performance of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police. An insider said the participants expressed concern and regret for criticising the police over the tragedy.

The participants also pointed out the Tanda dam incident, wherein at least 58 people including children died after their boat capsized in the lake in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kohat.

“The meeting was summoned only to criticise the previous government”, an insider said, quoting the participants, adding that if the loss of lives was the concern, then the incumbent rulers should have visited Kohat.

The participants further said that if the police were facing funds issues, the federal government should meet its obligations under the NFC Award. He lauded the sacrifices of KP police, saying that attempts were made to defame the force.

A day earlier, the Apex Committee expressed its determination to protect the life and property of the people at every cost and make an example out of the terrorists who shed the blood of Pakistanis.

The committee assured the nation that those who attacked innocent Pakistanis, would be punished and the government would come up to its expectations, reported the state news agency.

The meeting reviewed, in detail, the incidents of terrorism, particularly the suicide attack on the mosque in Police Lines Peshawar on January 30 and its aftermath.

The officials of the intelligence agencies briefed the participants about the overall security situation and the action taken against the terrorists.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Moazzam Jah Ansari updated the meeting about the ongoing investigation into the suicide attack.

READ: PM SHEHBAZ SHARIF CALLS FOR UNITY IN FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM

It is pertinent to mention here that a powerful blast triggered by a suicide attack rocked a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines during the afternoon prayers.

According to the latest figures, at least 100 people have been confirmed to have lost their lives in the attack, while almost 169 people were wounded.

Security officials said the explosion took place around 1:40pm on Monday as Zuhr prayers were being offered as a result of which the roof of the mosque caved in. The rescue operation is still underway at the mosque site to retrieve the victims.

Videos and pictures shared by social media users show horrific scenes as the injured drenched in blood shifted to local medical centres for first aid after the Peshawar mosque blast.