Pakistan’s prime minister urged the country’s political leadership unity to combat terrorism and militants with the full force of the nation following a wave in deadly terrorist activities. Separatists in Balochistan last week took over a train and shot dead 26 hostages before security forces killed all 33 attackers in one of the most harmful bloodshed in recent months that attracted nationwide condemnation.
An attack by insurgents on a passenger train carrying 440 passengers occurred in restive southwestern where all the other passengers were rescued, officials said.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated the separatist Baloch Liberation Army outfit was behind the episode, and the military raid “has successfully reached its logical conclusion.”
He said no passengers died because of the operation, and praised the military for “averting a potential catastrophe.” Sarfraz Bugti, the province’s chief minister, said the military had killed all insurgents involved.
Three troops who had been protecting the railroad track also died in the attack that began in restive Balochistan province, the military spokesman, Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif, informed local media.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the meeting of parliament’s National Security Committee that was also accompanied by army Chief Gen. Asim Munir. He said he lamented that the opposition party of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan boycotted the session, which unanimously denounced the recent attacks and paid tribute to security forces.
“The forum emphasized the need for a strategic and united political resolve to face this threat with the full strength of the state and called for national consensus in the fight against terrorism,” according to a government statement.
In his remarks, Sharif did not assign responsibility for the recent violence to any specific group, both the Pakistani Taliban and the Baloch Liberation Army identified themselves in a majority of the recent attacks. BLA mainly functions in oil- and mineral-rich Balochistan and stated it was behind the train hijacking and killing of hostages.
As stated in a military statement, Gen. Munir at the session underscored the urgent need for better governance. “Those who believe they can weaken Pakistan through these terrorists should know that today, we send them a clear message: We are united and will not only defeat them but will also dismantle their facilitators,” Munir stated, according to the statement.
