Peshawar blast: PM vows to implement NAP with full force

Peshawar: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Monday vowed to implement the National Action Plan (NAP) with full force to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country.

He expressed the resolve during his emergency visit to Peshawar after the suicide bomb blast at Police Lines mosque.

The Prime Minister said: “The sinister designs of terrorists to create an atmosphere of fear and terror will be thwarted with strength of national unity,” adding that the capacity and efficiency of anti-terrorist institutions and police will be further enhanced.

Shehbaz Sharif termed attacking mosques and innocent civilians during prayers in the name of Islam a cowardly act which cannot shake the nation's resolve against terrorism.

The premier stated, “The miscreants and their facilitators involved in attacks on innocent citizens would be punished for their heinous crimes”.

Earlier, upon his arrival in Peshawar, Army Chief General Syed Asim Muneer received the Prime Minister. Inspector General Police Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muazam Jah Ansari presented him the preliminary investigative report of the suicide attack. He was also shown CCTV footage of the suicide attack on the Police Lines mosque.

Shehbaz was accompanied by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.

Returning back from Peshawar, Shehbaz Sharif turning to Twitter and wrote: “Just returned from Peshawar. The sheer scale of the human tragedy is unimaginable.”

He termed this blast an attack on Pakistan, adding that “The nation is overwhelmed by a deep sense of grief”.

The PM also stated that terrorism is our foremost national security challenge.

“While the pain of the grieving families cannot be described in words, I express my heartfelt condolences and most sincere sympathies,” he added.

He further said that his message to the perpetrators of the despicable incident is that they can't underestimate the resolve of our people.

While the pain of the grieving families cannot be described in words, I express my heartfelt condolences & most sincere sympathies. My message to the perpetrators of today's despicable incident is that you can't underestimate the resolve of our people. https://t.co/edUJ6SbP3M

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) January 30, 2023