Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that Pakistan will deliver a strong response to terrorist attacks, adding that such acts will not be tolerated — whether along the borders or in urban areas.
Speaking to journalists after the Islamabad district court bombing, the minister said there had been an indication that “such an incident could be carried out to put pressure on Pakistan.”
Khawaja Asif noted that, until now, terrorism had largely been confined to border regions, but the attack in Islamabad should be taken as a message to the state.
He alleged that the Afghan government is supporting terrorists operating from within Afghanistan, adding that the attack in Islamabad carried a clear warning: “All your regions are within our reach.”
“The people and the armed forces of Pakistan have made countless sacrifices in the fight against terrorism,” the minister said. “Pakistan will respond firmly to any such attacks. We will not tolerate terrorism — neither in border areas nor in cities.”
Khawaja Asif further stated that while there had been some hope for productive dialogue with the Afghan government, this latest attack had changed the situation. “The state must now reflect seriously on its next steps,” he added.
He also pointed out that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s operatives are based in Kabul, questioning how the Afghan government can deny responsibility for their actions.
It is worth noting that the suicide bombing outside the Islamabad district court claimed 12 lives and left around 30 people injured, several of them in critical condition.
