We sowed seeds of terrorism, worshippers not killed even in India: Pak minister on Peshawar blast

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, talking in context of the Peshawar suicide blast at a mosque, stated Pakistan had sowed seeds of terrorism. Worshippers weren’t martyred throughout prayers in India or Israel, nevertheless it occurred in Pakistan, he stated.

A file photograph of Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif (Photo: AP)

By India Today Web Desk: Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday stated his nation had sowed seeds of terrorism, Dawn reported. The minister’s assertion got here a day after a large explosion at a mosque in Peshawar claimed 100 lives and injured a number of others.

Between 300 and 400 policemen had gathered for afternoon prayers on the mosque on Monday within the provincial capital, when a whole wall and a lot of the roof had been blown off, showering rubble on officers.

Speaking on the ground of the National Assembly in Pakistan, Asif stated, “I will not talk for long but I will say briefly that at the start, we sowed seeds of terrorism.”

Further, he stated the suicide bomber who blew himself up on the mosque premises in Peshawar was standing within the entrance throughout Zuhr prayers.

“Worshippers weren’t martyred during prayers even in India or Israel, but it happened in Pakistan,” he added.

According to the report, Asif questioned who can be held accountable for the Peshawar mosque explosion.

The minister stated that your entire nation wanted to be united towards terrorism and solely then may it’s fought towards.

“Terrorism doesn’t differentiate between any religion or sect. Terrorism is used in the name of religion to take precious lives,” the minister was quoted by Dawn as saying.

PAKISTAN MINISTER SPEAKS ON TERRORISM IN COUNTRY

Asif referred to as for unity within the combat towards terrorism and stated it was time for Pakistan to set its “house in order”.

Speaking concerning the Russian invasion of Afghanistan prior to now, the Pakistan defence minister stated, “When Russia invaded Afghanistan, Pakistan offered its services to the United States on rent.”

“The agreement made with the US went on for eight to nine years, after which the US went back to Washington celebrating the fact that Russia was defeated. Pakistan was left to deal with the aftermath for the next 10 years,” Asif was quoted by Dawn as saying.

“Once those 10 years passed, 9/11 happened. A threat was received from there and we got involved in another war,” he stated.

The minister stated that Pakistan’s involvement in these two wars had spilled over into “our homes, our bazaars, our schools and public places”.

PESHAWAR MOSQUE BLAST

Meanwhile, the demise toll within the Peshawar mosque blast rose to 100 on Wednesday. At least 170 folks had been wounded within the explosion, which demolished the higher storey of the mosque as lots of of worshippers carried out midday prayers.

The blast was a focused revenge assault, a police chief was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Locals and rescue staff stand amid the rubble, after a suicide blast in a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan (Photo: Reuters)

The assault, within the Police Lines district, was the deadliest in a decade to hit this restive, northwestern metropolis close to the Afghan border and comes amid a surge in violence towards the police.

Authorities say they have no idea how the bomber managed to breach the army and police checkpoints main into the Police Lines district, a colonial-era, self-contained encampment within the metropolis centre that’s residence to middle- and lower-ranking police personnel and their households.

Given the safety issues in Peshawar, the mosque was constructed to permit police to wish with out leaving the world.

No group has formally owned as much as the assault.

Published On:

Feb 1, 2023