ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry stated that, according to initial reports, 31 people were martyred and more than a hundred were injured in the suicide blast in Rawalpindi.
Speaking to the media, the Minister confirmed that the suicide bomber was not an Afghan citizen, although records indicate multiple travels to Afghanistan. An investigation is underway, focusing on the attacker’s physical evidence and other details, and all information has been shared at the highest levels.
Talal Chaudhry emphasised that terrorism, whether carried out under the guise of religion or through linguistic and provincial motivations like those of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), follows the same pattern. He condemned the targeting of soft targets such as markets, schools, mosques, and Imambargahs, calling it the height of cowardice.
The Minister explicitly accused India of sponsoring this terrorism, claiming that Pakistan has solid evidence supporting this assertion. According to him, India has increased its investment in terrorism threefold, and groups like the BLA and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are being paid in dollars. He stressed that these individuals do not kill in the name of Allah, but for financial gain.
He mentioned that Pakistan has repeatedly urged Afghanistan not to become a proxy for India by harbouring these terrorists. What happened to India in May, he warned, could also happen to these proxies.
Additionally, the Minister noted that close relatives of the Inspector General (IG) of Islamabad were among those martyred in the attack. Despite this tragedy, the IG was present at the scene in uniform.
Chaudhry reiterated that the implementation of the National Action Plan is ongoing, affirming the state’s unwavering commitment to combating terrorism. He assured that Pakistan is both fighting and winning this battle.
While he acknowledged that it is impossible to fully compensate for the loss of life in this tragedy, he expressed that the state shares in the grief of the affected families and will provide all possible support.
