Islamabad attack a message: 'All your areas are within our reach,' Pakistan to respond decisively: Khawaja Asif

Islamabad: The Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, has said that Pakistan will respond decisively to terrorist actions, and such activities will not be tolerated either along the borders or in civilian areas.

In a conversation with journalists regarding the Islamabad district court bombing, Khawaja Asif mentioned that there had been an expectation that such an act would be carried out to exert pressure on Pakistan.

He noted that terrorism had thus far been confined to border regions, and the terrorist attack in Islamabad should be viewed as a message to the state.

Khawaja Asif further asserted that the Afghan government is backing terrorists operating within Afghanistan, and that the attack in Islamabad is a signal suggesting that all areas of Pakistan are within their reach.

He remarked that the people and armed forces of Pakistan have been making sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, and the country will give a robust response to any terrorist activity. These actions will not be tolerated in either border or urban areas.

The Defence Minister added that, while there had been some hope for successful dialogue with the Afghan government, this attack will compel a reassessment of the situation. In such circumstances, he stressed, the state must think seriously about its next steps.

He also stated that all the operatives of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are based in Kabul, and questioned how the Afghan government could deny responsibility for their actions.

It is worth noting that the suicide bombing outside the Islamabad district court resulted in the deaths of 12 individuals, with 30 more wounded. Several of the injured are in critical condition.