Cowardly attacks reinforce our resolve to fight terrorism: Interior minister

QUETTA: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Sunday said that security forces have broken the backbone of terrorists and will soon eliminate the remaining militants who are carrying out cowardly attacks to make their presence felt. 

Accompanied by Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Khan Zehri and home minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, the interior minister was addressing a press conference in Qeutta a day after a powerful bomb blast hit an on-duty army truck at Pishin bus stop in Quetta on Saturday night, leaving at least 15 people including the personnel of the Pakistan Army dead and over 40 others injured.

Ahsan said operations against terrorists will continue till the elimination of terrorism from Pakistani soil. “Such cowardly attacks reinforce the nation’s resolve in the fight against terrorism. We become more determined with every such attack.”

Taking aim at his political opponents, he said, some political elements wanted to weaken the country internally and divide the nation in the face of testing times. They were actually the enemies of the country, he added and asked them to shun their differences to unite in their fight against terrorism.

“We are in a state of war which warranted unity among all stakeholders and political parties”, he added.

The interior minister said that peace and development were interlinked as without peace the country could not progress. Operation Zarb-e-Azab and Radd ul Fasaad showed the government’s resolve to purge the country of terrorists, he added.

He assured that the federal government will ensure its cooperation with all provincial institutions. “Without making coordinated efforts, we cannot defeat our enemy,” he said.

Ahsan Iqbal, Balochistan chief minister and Commander Southern Command Lieutenant General Aamir Riaz visited the Civil Hospital in Quetta. They inquired after the health of the people injured in the suicide bomb attack.