ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday instructed to conduct a thorough joint investigation into the Besham terrorist attack on Chinese nationals working on the Dasu Hydropower Project, utilising all resources of the state.
The prime minister, offering deepest condolences to the families of the innocent victims of the attack, assured that the perpetrators of this barbaric act would be brought to justice swiftly.
Chairing a high level emergency meeting in the aftermath of the Besham terrorist attack on Chinese nationals, the prime minister appreciated the alacrity with which law enforcement agencies and locals responded to the attack, saving many precious lives which could have been lost, the official news agency reported.
The meeting was attended by federal ministers, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, chief ministers, chief secretaries and inspector generals of police, a PM Office press release said.
The meeting discussed in detail the heinous attack on innocent civilians working on a development project meant to contribute to energy and water security of Pakistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif underscored the enduring bond of brotherhood between the people of Pakistan and China and conveyed that the whole nation was saddened by the loss of Chinese lives.
He stated, “Terrorism is a trans-national threat that has been instrumentalised by the enemies of Pakistan to stymie Pakistan’s progress and development. The acts targeting Pakistan-China friendship are particularly aimed at creating mistrust between the two iron brothers.”
Participants of the meeting expressed resolute commitment to completely rooting out terrorism from the country. The participants expressed serious concerns over sanctuaries available to terrorists across the borders and emphasised upon the need for a regional approach for countering terrorism.
During the meeting, the COAS reiterated the resolve of armed forces to eliminate the scourge of terrorism afflicting the country. The COAS stated that the nation had steadfastly fought the war on terror for the last two decades and had defeated the nefarious designs of Pakistan’s adversaries.
Noting the recent surge in terrorist incidents, the COAS remarked that the enemies of Pakistan had once again underestimated the resilience and grit of the state and the people of Pakistan.
He said, “We shall fight terrorism till every terrorist casting an evil eye on Pakistan, its people and their guests is eliminated; we shall not leave any stone unturned to ensure that every foreign citizen, especially the Chinese nationals, contributing to the prosperity of Pakistan, is safe and secure in Pakistan. We shall fight terrorism with all our might, to the very end.”
The meeting concluded with the participants reiterating the resolve to comprehensively combat terrorism employing all resources available to the state.
