Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has stated that the suicide bomber involved in the Islamabad attack was a Pakistani citizen who had travelled to Afghanistan some time ago before returning to carry out the terrorist act.
Speaking on the News programme, Khawaja Asif said the suicide attack was an attempt to hinder Pakistan’s path towards development and stability. He added that the timing of the attack was deliberately chosen when Pakistan had recently signed important agreements with two countries, to create instability in the country.
The defence minister said that India does not dare to engage in direct aggression against Pakistan and instead seeks to destabilize peace through proxy elements and via Afghanistan. He noted that evidence increasingly points towards external involvement in terrorist activities targeting Pakistan.
Khawaja Asif further revealed that the suicide bomber travelled from Nowshera to Islamabad, and law enforcement agencies have also traced the attacker’s close relatives. He said investigations are continuing to uncover the entire network and identify all facilitators involved.
He also stated that there is coordination between the federal government and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on counterterrorism efforts, and it appears that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is now taking ownership of the fight against terrorism, which he described as a positive development.
