- Calls for a unified national response against the ongoing malicious campaign
- Says those responsible for attacks in Parachinar will be brought to justice, victims; families will be compensated without discrimination
The Army said on Wednesday that enemies of Pakistan, hostile intelligence agencies and anti-state elements are deliberately trying to create ethnic and sectarian divide through recent terrorist attacks.
The Army statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) further said that “our enemy is now trying to target and fragment us along sectarian, ethnic lines which merits a unified national response”.
The statement by the military’s media wing comes after a spate of recent attacks in Quetta and Parachinar, claiming more than 70 lives and leaving dozens injured. The attacks, all on June 23, shook the country after it had witnessed a period of relative calm.
“The ongoing malicious campaign of enemies of Pakistan, which is also being spread on social media, is highly regrettable and we all need to be cognizant of it,” the ISPR statement added.
“For us every Shaheed/injured is equal regardless of sect/ethnicity and indeed is a great loss,” ISPR quoted Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa as saying.
The army chief added that the religious rights of minorities are fully respected.
COAS MEETS CLERICS FROM ALL SECTS
The army chief, in the last two days, has held meetings with ulemas of various sects and asked them to strive to end sectarianism, informed sources.
The ulemas, in return, assured Gen Bajwa of their complete cooperation to promote religious solidarity. Sources said the army chief met Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Allama Iftikhar Naqvi
The statement further added that those responsible for the attacks in Parachinar will be brought to justice and the families of the victims will be compensated without any discrimination.
“We all are united as Muslims and Pakistanis,” said Gen Bajwa, according to the ISPR’s statement.
“Alhamdulillah, we have brought the security situation in the country, including FATA under control, and shall not allow its regression under any cost,” said the army chief.
PR 337/17
“Those responsible for Parachinar incidents shall be brought to law & victims will be compensated without any discrimination”COAS. pic.twitter.com/NymUmMDtcr— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) June 28, 2017
The ISPR, in a press release, said that the army chief would have been spending the second day of Eid in Parachinar, however, he could not travel to Kurram Agency owing to inclement weather.
ARMY CHIEF VISITS INJURED OF AHMADPUR EAST INCIDENT
Earlier on Monday, COAS visited injured of Ahmadpur East incident at Nishtar Hospital Multan.
Nishtar Medical University Vice Chancellor updated COAS on their treatment. COAS appreciated the role and efforts of first responders, including civil administration, motorway and Punjab police, locals of the area and hospitals’ staff.
He said crisis management is a joint national responsibility, and Army performs its duty in aid of civil administration. He assured civil administration of Army’s continued support in taking best care of the victims. COAS said, while learning from such avoidable incidents, there is a requirement to have a national public awareness campaign to safeguard against recurrence.
Later, COAS met families of Army martyrs at Multan Garrison. COAS lauded their great sacrifices and said that the nation was proud of them, adding that nothing is more sacred than laying one’s life for the country.
Commander Multan Corps Lieutenant General Sarfraz Sattar accompanied COAS during the visit.