‘Suicide bombers came from Afghanistan’

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmad Monday said the government had achieved a major success in tracing the origin of attackers behind the Gwadar and Quetta terrorist incidents.

Addressing a press conference here, the minister said the suicide bombers involved in the Gwadar blast that took place on August 20 and another explosion targeting an FC convoy on Mastung Road in Quetta, had been identified adding that they had come from Afghanistan, reports APP.

He said two boys lost their lives while four others, including a Chinese national, were injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up targeting a vehicle carrying Chinese nationals in Gwadar, while four people died and 20 were injured on Sunday in a suicide attack near the FC check post.

Replying to a question, he said the Taliban's desire to become a part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project was a positive sign. “CPEC is the jugular vein of Pakistan, and the friendship between Pakistan and China is higher than the Himalayas,” he said.

He reiterated that the Taliban leadership had assured that the Afghan soil will not be used against Pakistan. He said the situation at the Torkham border was normal and the government had not established any refugee camp there or in any other part of the country.

He said the whole world was well aware of India’s bemoaning after the Taliban’s control of Afghanistan, as it had invested billions of dollars in establishing the Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS) and setting up 60 training camps in Afghanistan during the last 40 years.

He said the Indian intelligence agency RAW and NDS were also in a state of stress after facing defeat in fulfillment of their nefarious designs. He said long-lasting peace in Afghanistan was important for the region as well as for the international world.

He said Pakistan would continue playing its role in maintaining peace and stability in Afghanistan. He said peace and progress in Afghanistan was a must for peace and progress in Pakistan and in the entire region.

He claimed that Afghanistan was going to be the central point of world politics in the days to come. “We have sacrificed more than any country in the world by losing 80,000 lives. Over 100,000 people received injuries and disabilities, but still our morale is high, as we have the world’s most professional and sound army.”

Sheikh Rashid said, “We expect great respect and honor from the international world of these sacrifices just for maintaining peace and stability of the entire world. We are major contributor to maintaining peace in the region.”

He said the Pakistan Army was proficiently accomplishing its responsibility to safeguard the country and performing duties on borders to protect every inch of the motherland. He said Pakistan’s security agencies were vigilant to respond to any threat from enemies and were monitoring movement along the divide.

The minister said the whole nation should be proud of having such professional security agencies and their sincere contribution towards the country. Commenting on the opposition’s protest against the government, Sheikh Rashid said the opposition will not succeed in their motives as the people had fully rejected their politics.

Meanwhile, the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid Monday assured that they had assured Islamabad that the Afghan territory will not be used against Pakistan. Addressing a press conference in Kabul, Mujahid said it was understandable that the international community was concerned about security in Afghanistan adding that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will not allow the soil of Afghanistan to be used against anyone, including Pakistan.

He said ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed had met Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Kabul. Mujahid said Gen Hameed was the first high-ranking foreign official to visit Afghanistan since their takeover of the Afghan capital in mid-August.

The Taliban have assured Islamabad that the Afghan territory will not be used against Pakistan, he said. Ahmadullah Wasiq, deputy head of the Taliban’s Cultural Commission, said their top leaders had talked with Gen Hameed about bilateral relations and the problems of Afghan passengers at the Torkham and Spin Boldak passes. “Gen Hameed came to solve the Afghan passengers’ problems in the border areas, especially in Torkham and Spin Boldak,” Wasiq was quoted as saying by TOLO news.