ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Friday condemned the Lahore blast that killed three people and injured over 20 people, saying that no one would be allowed to spoil the country’s peaceful environment.
The interior minister reached the Senate shortly after the Opposition’s demand for an explanation. Speaking on the upper house floor, Rashid said that there were “special motives” behind the killing of the cop in Islamabad, adding that the government was investigating the incident.
The minister said that there were “special motives” behind the killing of the cop in Islamabad, adding that the government was investigating the incident. He also informed the House about fencing work at the Pak-Afghan border, stating that only 20 kilometres remained to be fenced while 2,800-km had been completed. “200km also remained to be fenced at the Pak-Iran border,” he added.
According to Rashid, two terrorists were killed in the Islamabad shootout, adding that six mobile phones belonging to the attackers were also recovered. “I do not want to mention the details about their movement and accommodation,” Rashid said.
During today’s session, the opposition urged Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani to suspend routine proceedings and debate the country’s law and order situation in the wake of the Lahore blast and the killing of a policeman in Islamabad during a shootout.
“First, an incident took place in Islamabad and now in Lahore. The interior minister should explain these incidents to the House,” Senator Raza Rabbani said, while speaking on the floor of the Senate.
He said that the Balochistan Liberation Army had claimed responsibility for one of the attacks “while the interior minister said the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was behind it”. “The interior minister is responsible for the peace and security of the country,” he added.
Meanwhile, Senator Yousuf Raza Gillani also expressed displeasure over the rising terror incidents and demanded the interior minister to brief parliament in this regard. “Media reports are not sufficient to ascertain the details,” he added.
Irfan Siddiqui of the PML-N said the incidents of robberies were on the rise in the capital, while “the interior ministry was busy indulging in rhetoric”. The senator said he had not seen Rashid in the House for any briefing during the last nine months.
Subsequently, the opposition parties submitted an adjournment motion seeking an explanation from the minister over terror incidents in the country.
Following this, the Senate chairman told the minister to brief the upper house in this regard and the steps taken by the government on Monday (Jan 24).
