On Tuesday, Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister, urged all “political forces” to unite in an attempt to establish a united front to fight terrorism in the country.
Taking to Twitter, the PM said that “through their despicable actions, terrorists want to spread fear & paranoia among the masses and reverse our hard-earned gains against terrorism and militancy”.
My message to all political forces is one of unity against anti-Pakistan elements”, he said adding that “we can fight our political fights later”.
A day after a powerful explosion caused by a bomb attack rattled a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines during the afternoon prayers, the prime minister delivered his message.
The attack has been verified to have claimed the lives of at least 93 persons, according to the most recent numbers.
‘Terrorism is indefensible’: Leaders, missions condemn Peshawar attack
The interim chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Muhammad Azam Khan, has declared a day of mourning in the province while the rescue effort is still ongoing.
The incident was the deadliest terrorist act to occur in Peshawar since a suicide bombing at a mosque during Friday prayers in March of last year, which left at least 58 people dead and close to 200 injured. At the time, investigators had claimed that the Islamic State bomber was an exile from Afghanistan who had come home to prepare for the attack.
Following the suicide explosion, PM Shehbaz Sharif and COAS Gen. Syed Asim Munir went to Peshawar. Also, they went to the Lady Reading Hospital to inquire about the condition of the injured.
Last year, after talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke down, the militant group abruptly ended the existing truce, sparking a new wave of terrorist attacks that may last the rest of the year.
In Swat and more recently in Bannu, there were hints of the TTP’s revival. Given that its population will be among the worst affected if the TTP and other militant groups, like the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), are not dealt with, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and its recently merged tribal districts have come to the fore in the wake of this new wave of terrorism.
