Parachinar blasts: Enemy's attempt won't succeed, says COAS

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday vowed to counter every attempt to divide the nation on sectarian basis in the wake of Parachinar terror attacks, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

According to a statement of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the COAS will spend his second day of Eid-ul-Fitr in Parachinar, where twin blasts claimed dozens of lives and hurt many on Friday.

The Army’s media wing quoted the COAS as saying, “We all are united as Muslim and Pakistanis. Enemy’s attempts to target sectarianism shall not succeed.”

Members of the Shia community in Parachinar, capital of Kurram Agency, held sit-in protest against the attacks which claimed over 70 lives and injured dozens. The sit-in by the victims’ families continued for the fifth day on Tuesday.

The army chief has reportedly held meetings with the clerics of various sects in last two days in a bid to encourage sectarian harmony, sources said.

The COAS is expected to spend the rest of his day in the city and will also visit Karachi and Quetta, the sources added.

In the days leading up to Eid, the country saw a spate of terror attacks in Quetta, Parachinar and Karachi that left at least 90 people dead.