Pakistan pledges to apprehend culprits of Karachi blast

From Zeeshan Mirza

KARACHI: Interior Minister Rana Sanullah on Wednesday said those involved in the terrorism at the Karachi University as well as their entire network would be apprehended soon, and foolproof security of foreign nationals will also be assured at all costs. He made these remarks while addressing a joint presser with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in Karachi.
A shuttle van of the Confucius Institute of Karachi University was hit by a suicide bomber a day earlier, leaving three Chinese teachers and a Pakistani dead.
The minister termed the bombing an attack on the Sino-Pak ties and added that China has always extended help to Pakistan in times of need.
Sanaullah further said that he had offered all-out assistance to the chief minister to maintain law and order in the province.
“Karachi will be turned into a city of peace and the federal government will play its due role in establishing peace in the metropolis,” he remarked.
He said that the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) had played a vital role in probing the incident. “The nation is united against terrorism.”
On the occasion, he observed that there has been no progress at the National Counter-Terrorism Authority for the past four years – during the tenure of the previous government.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will soon be apprised of the performance of the organisation.”
Earlier in the day, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that the “ironclad friendship” between China and Pakistan is unbreakable and any attempt to undermine the bilateral cooperation, mutual trust and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would not succeed.
He expressed the confidence that the government would spare no efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and hold them accountable.
“We will work together with Pakistan to crack down on terrorist forces and make sure the culprits behind the attack will pay a heavy price,” the spokesperson further said.