Worshipers not killed during prayers even in India: Pakistani minister after attack on mosque

Islamabad:

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khwaja Asif spoke on Tuesday about the deadly suicide bombing at a mosque in Peshawar and said no worshipers were killed during prayers even in India, the Dawn reported.

The suicide bombing killed 100 people and injured dozens.

Asif gave his opinion on the attack on the National Assembly, saying, “Worshipers were not killed during prayers, not even in India or Israel, but it happened in Pakistan.”

The explosion took place around 1 p.m. Monday in the central hall of the mosque.

The minister called for unity in the fight against terrorism and said it was time for Pakistan to put its house in order, Dawn said.

Recalling terrorism incidents from 2010-2017, the minister said, “This war started from Swat during the PPP’s tenure and ended during the previous PML-N’s tenure, and peace was established in the country from Karachi to Swat .”

“But if you remember, a year and a half or two years ago […] we were briefed two or three times in the same room where it was made clear that talks could be held against these people and they could be pacified,” he added.

Asif said there were differing opinions on the matter, but despite this no “final decision” was made.

He further stated that thousands of people were unemployed after the Afghans settled in Pakistan, the Dawn report said, adding that Asif also said the first evidence surfaced when the people of Swat protested against the resettled people.

He noted that the people of Wana also protested and expressed similar emotions. “I mention these incidents because of the tragedy that happened yesterday […] the terrorist was in the front line during the Zuhr prayers where he detonated himself,” he said.

Asif said the prime minister and army chief visited Peshawar where they were briefed on the attack. “But this is a tragedy for which we need the same determination and unity as in 2011-2012,” the minister said.

“I won’t talk for a long time, but I will say briefly that we sowed the seeds of terrorism in the beginning,” said the defense minister.

He said that when Russia invaded Afghanistan, Pakistan put its services “for hire” to the United States. “General Zia was the ruler at the time […] the deal with the US lasted eight to nine years, after which the US went back to Washington to celebrate Russia’s defeat,” he added.

Meanwhile, India on Tuesday expressed condolences for the loss of life in the deadly mosque attack.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi posted on Twitter: “India extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims of yesterday’s Peshawar terror attack. We strongly condemn this attack which has claimed the lives of so many people.”

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