Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday visited Wana’s Cadet College, where an attack was foiled earlier this week, and said elements “from across the border” were responsible for terror incidents.
In remarks that were televised, Naqvi told tribal elders gathered at the university during his visit that several Pakistani officials – including himself, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Defense Minister Asif Khawaja – had spoken to Afghanistan about the issue of terrorism.
“We repeatedly told them one thing: terrorism must be stopped. Peace in our country must not be destroyed,” he said.
The minister further said that Pakistan’s economic indicators and its relations with other countries were moving in the right direction. However, elements “from the other side of the border” arrived in the country to carry out attacks, he said.
He also referred to the suicide bombing in Islamabad on Tuesday, saying that elements “from across the border” were involved. Naqvi has previously said that both the Wana and Islamabad incidents involved Afghan involvement.
Cadet College had been attacked on November 10. While all the students and teachers were safely rescued and all the terrorists hiding inside the building were killed, the clearance operation resulted in the martyrdom of three people.
“Our local population is not used to [in carrying out these attacks]”said Naqvi. “For some time now, it can be seen that none of the attacks have been carried out by a local citizen,” he added.
According to a handout issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Frontier Corps (South) Inspector General Major General Mehr Omar Khan had welcomed the minister at the university. During his visit, Naqvi met officers and soldiers of the Pakistan Army, who had been involved in foiling the attack, and also met students and teachers of the university.
The statement said Naqvi also announced that the university would be renovated and added that Pakistan Army and FC had set a remarkable example of bravery and professionalism by safely rescuing all the students and teachers. “The enemy wanted to carry out an attack similar to that on an army public school, but our brave soldiers thwarted the attempt, sending the terrorists to hell and defeating the conspiracy,” he said.
“These are savages who have no ties to humanity. No faith allows them to attack children, and these beasts have no religion. Calling them humans is an insult to humanity,” he said.
Of late, Pakistan has witnessed a spike in terrorist activities, mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. In November 2022, the TTP, after breaking a ceasefire agreement with the government, had promised to intensify attacks against security forces, police and personnel of other law enforcement agencies.
