ISLAMABAD: The grisly bomb explosion in Peshawar claiming dozens of lives and injuring hundreds of people has been widely condemned across the world, with a federal minister terming it a conspiracy against Pakistan.

Strongly condemning the bombing, President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of innocent lives. In their separate messages, they also extended condolences to the families of the deceased, while the prime minister ordered an inquiry into the inciden.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, while condemning the incident, said it was a planned bomb attack to disrupt peace and tranquility in the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. There was no threat received about any untoward incident in the area, he said, adding that he had directed law enforcement agencies to ensure security in the area and sought a report from the KP chief secretary and inspector general of police.

Mr Qureshi said that being foreign minister he knew which forces were supporting the anti-state elements and providing them resources to carry out terrorist activities like the attack on Peshawar’s mosque. Such forces wanted to destabilise Pakistan, he added.

UN, OIC, Afghan Taliban also offer sympathies; interior minister seeks report from KP officials

The foreign minister said Pakistan’s army, police, Rangers and anti-terrorism squads had protected the people and defeated terrorists, but this was not acceptable to some forces. “These forces don’t want to see Pakistan’s economy taking off; the simplest way to block this growth is to create uncertainty in the country,” he added.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the blast was part of a big conspiracy against the country and vowed to thwart all inimical designs of the anti-state elements effectively. “In the past, we have effectively tackled such conspiracies, and now too by the grace of Allah Almighty, the enemies of Pakistan will fail,” he said in a tweet.

Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib, while condemning the bomb blast, said terrorists were enemies of the country, nation and Islam. “Those who have no sanctity of mosques have no right to claim themselves human beings,” he stated.

Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin-ul-Haque termed the attack on worshipers a cowardly act of terrorists. He stressed the need for unity and solitary to defeat the anti-state elements.

Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Interfaith Harmony and Middle East and Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi termed the Peshawar blast an attack on Pakistan.

Condemning the terrorist attack, Mr Ashrafi said the whole nation, including religious scholars of all walks of life, would do their utmost to make Pakistan a hub of peace and interfaith harmony.

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and Deputy Chairman Mirza Mohammad Afridi, Leader of the House in the Senate Dr Shahzad Waseem and Leader of the Opposition Yousuf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar and Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and various other political leaders, lawmakers and legal fraternity also condemned the explosion.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a phone call to Pakistan UN Ambassador Munir Akram expressed his ‘deepest condolences’ over the terrorist attack and said this was personal for him as he knew Peshawar very well and had been well treated by its people. Also, the Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha called Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to condemn the attack and convey deep condolences over the loss.

In a late night tweet, spokesman for the Afghan Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted: “Sympathy: We condemn the bombing of a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan. There is no justification for attacking civilians and worshipers. We express our deepest condolences to all the victims of the incident.”

Mohammad Hussain Khan from Hyderabad also contributed to report

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2022