ISLAMABAD: In the wake of recent terrorist incidents, the Ministry of Interior issued another threat notice on Thursday, asking responsible authorities to maintain the “highest degree of preparedness and enhanced vigilance” against threats posed by “anti-state elements.”
“Highest level of preparedness and extra vigilance may kindly be ensured by all provincial governments, intelligence and law enforcement agencies to thwart any nefarious designs of anti-state elements,” the second threat alert issued in less than two weeks said, following the recent terror attacks carried out by miscreants in Panjgur and Naushki districts of Balochistan.
The security notice comes as Prime Minister Imran Khan departs for a four-day visit to China, accompanied by a delegation of ministers, to seek investment and industrial transfer from China to Pakistan. The prime minister praised the country’s military forces for repelling terror strikes in Balochistan before departing.
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the Minister of Interior, accused foreign forces of orchestrating terrorist acts in order to stymie development on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor last month (CPEC). “However, the Pak-China relationship is standing tall against such measures,” the minister said.
According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement released on Thursday, security forces killed at least 13 terrorists in Panjgur and Naushki, Balochistan, after separate attacks were successfully defeated last night.
Four soldiers, including an officer, were killed in the attack on Wednesday night, according to the report. On January 27, it was reported that ten troops in Balochistan’s Kech area embraced martyrdom when militants attacked a security checkpoint.
The current threat bulletin also praised the awareness and bravery of Frontier Corps Balochistan members, claiming that they were vital in successfully repelling two terrorist attacks on February 2 that resulted in significant casualties.
The letter, which was written in response to the ministry’s earlier letter on the same subject on January 21, noted that the nation praised their bravery, with the prime minister leading the way.
The earlier statement from the ministry, urging the relevant authorities to be ready to deal with any unpleasant circumstance, came following an uptick in terrorist acts in the country ahead of opposition groups’ plans for anti-government rallies in February and March.
Rashid revealed an increase in terror attacks in Afghanistan on January 21, claiming smaller geoups had become active and were attacking in various regions of the country “after Taliban’s triumph” against the Indian intelligence agency and 42 foreign forces in the country.
The minister went on to say that since August 15 – when Taliban fighters invaded Kabul – the current wave of terrorism had escalated by roughly 35 to 38 percent, and that was why the ministry had issued a notification instructing officials to take extraordinary caution.
