Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Iftikhar Hussain has said that a sharp increase in terrorist acts was tarnishing the image of the militants who are reluctant to claim the responsibility of the recent tragic attacks on Khyber Supermarket. “Though Taliban have refused to claim the responsibility, every one is aware of their involvement in all the terrorist acts taking place in the country for several years,” he remarked while answering a question during a press conference here in Peshawar on Monday.
Taliban militants, headed by Hakim Ullah, have denied their involvement in the Peshawar explosion, but their colleagues from Darra Adam Khel have claimed responsibility for this terrorist act.
“Whatever might be the stance of Taliban militants, it is our firm decision to eradicate terrorism,” he said, reminding the government was not only owning the war on terror but even also firm to chase them. He said all those involved in terrorist acts were enemies of humanity, the country and its people. The militants were playing in the hands of others just for petty monetary interests, he further said.
Mian Iftikhar said they didn’t believe in divisions amongst Taliban militants and opposed the idea of “bad and good Taliban.” He said all of them were terrorists and deserved elimination.
Answering another question, Iftikhar said, “In fact, the third world war is in progress on our soil.” Elaborating his point of view, he said militants from all over the world were fighting NATO troops in Afghanistan.
The minister said Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States were real partners in the ongoing war on terror. But unfortunately, there was lack of trust amongst the rulers and the policymakers of all these three countries.
