Khawaja Asif hopes PM will take steps for a Zarb-e-Azb like operation

ISLAMABAD: Following the suicide blast at a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif hoped that Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif would take steps for a Zarb-e-Azb like operation against the ‘rising terrorism’ in the country, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Talking to journalists inside Parliament House, the defence minister stressed the need for a consensus to conduct a Zarb-e-Azb like operation against the ‘rising terrorism’ in the country.

Khawaja Asif said National Security Committee (NSC) will decide on the operation against the terrorists. “The National Security Committee is the authorized forum to take such decisions”, he added.

The minister termed the Peshawar blast ‘as same tragedy’ as the APS attack, saying that all political parties were united at the time of APS tragedy. “Currently, the nation needs a consensus despite all the differences”, he stressed.

The statement came a day after 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.

The outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the blast at a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines.

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

A part of the mosque has collapsed. While talking to ARY News, an eyewitness said he was going to the mosque when the blast occurred and panic prevailed.