National flag to fly at half-mast on Monday to mourn NZ terror attack

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Sunday said that Pakistani flag will remain half-mast at all national buildings on Monday (tomorrow) to mourn Christchurch terror attack.  

The attacks on two mosques by a right-wing terrorist left 50 people dead and bullet injuries to several others on Friday.

This he said while addressing a news briefing in Islamabad on Sunday, here in Islamabad.

“The prime minister has also decided that martyred Mian Naeem Rashid will be given national award on 23rd of March this year for his heroic struggle against the white supremacist terrorist during the attack.”

Qureshi said casualties of Pakistanis stand at nine, while an injured is undergoing treatment at ICU.  He said fifty people were martyred in this tragic incident.

The FM said he spoke to his New Zealand counterpart on telephone, who said the assailant attacked two mosques and the whole act continued for 36 minutes.

He said the identification of bodies was a complicated and difficult process but all of them have been identified and from tomorrow the process of handing these over to relatives will start. The New Zealand FM further told that investigation is being held on the motives of terrorist.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said he also made a contact with his Turkish counterpart and it has been decided to convene an emergency meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on 22nd of this month in Istanbul.

During the meeting, efforts will be made to unify the Ummah and devise a strategy to know the root causes of growing Islamophobia in West and its implications for Muslims around the world. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said he will represent Pakistan in the meeting.