ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – On Saturday, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid warned that some remnants of Taliban-defeated groups intended to create a terror environment in the country.
His comment came after extremists attacked Lahore and Islamabad, killing five people and injuring more than 25 more.
The minister told a press conference that there was no longer any anti-Pakistan feeling in Afghanistan.
After the Afghan Taliban defeated the National Directorate of Security (NDS), India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), and 42 multinational forces in Afghanistan, some remnants of groups want to create a terrorism-friendly climate in Pakistan, Rashid added.
He stated that the country’s security institutions are fully prepared to combat terrorist operations, and that occurrences such as the Lahore blast will not dissuade our resolve and spirit.
According to the minister, an inquiry into the incident is ongoing, and those responsible will face legal consequences.
Sheikh Rashid claimed that the standstill in negotiations with the TTP was caused by the outlawed group’s unreasonable demands.
He promised to destroy terrorists and stated that Pakistan has paid a high price for the restoration of peace. “For this aim, we have sacrificed over 80,000 lives and endured an economic loss of roughly $150 billion,” he stated.
In response to rumours that the government would adopt a presidential system, he stated that no such step has been discussed in the cabinet.
The minister also requested the opposition to postpone their March 23 march because world leaders from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation will be in the Federal Capital during those days.
