—FM says Pakistan will prudently fight terrorism
—Asserts Nation united over battle against extremism
— Argues Pakistan always desired peace, prosperity
By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday condemned the blast in Lahore and said that some anti-peace forces were playing the role of a spoiler to disrupt Pakistan’s economic stability.
A day earlier, at least three people, including a nine-year-old child, were killed while over two dozen were injured when a blast tore through a bustling market chowk near Lohari Gate, a prominent entrance of the historic walled city.
According to the Lahore police, an initial investigation showed that a 1.5 kilogramme improvised explosive device (IED) was planted in a motorcycle parked next to a pushcart outside a bank, which was the cause of the blast.
“We don’t have to worry about it. We have to eliminate them. In the past too, our nation and forces fought against and defeated them. In the future too, they will meet the same fate,” Qureshi said in a statement.
He added that Pakistan always desired peace and economic development of the whole region.
“Pakistan would prudently fight out terrorism for which there was a consensus among the nation,” the foreign minister added. “Many terrorist attacks had been thwarted preemptively and the criminals were taken to task.”
The foreign minister added that the incident would be probed as to which ‘forces’ were backing the group that had claimed the responsibility of the blast and who trained and supplied them.
Regarding Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the foreign minister said the Indian war crimes and genocide attempts were also being highlighted in the UK.
Talking about the Kulbhushan Yadav case, the FM said Pakistan had been and would continue to diplomatically expose such elements before the world.
He also hoped that the opposition political parties would also support the government in this endeavour.
Qureshi said that he had invited the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Co-Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, via a letter, to support the constitutional amendments required for the creation of the South Punjab province.
He further hoped that the opposition leaders would seriously consider the invitation keeping in view the interest of 35 million people of South Punjab.
