PESHAWAR – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called for national unity against the terrorism.
Addressing the Apex Committee meeting in Peshawar that was convened after a terrorist attack in the city’s Police Lines Area claimed the lives of 101 people, Shehbaz Sharif stressed upon unity and expressed frustration at the criticism levelled against the federal government from opposition parties in the wake of terrorism.
Shehbaz Sharif announced a compensation amount of two million rupees each for the martyr and five-hundred thousand rupees each for the injured of the Peshawar blast.
The prime minister said, “We are here to express sympathies with the families of the victims of the Peshawar blast. This [act of] terrorism managed to breach the security check post and reach the mosque. We should not feel hesitant in admitting the facts.”
He also condemned the undue criticism on the social media. However, he hit back at the “conspiracy theories” that spread in the wake of the attack. The occurrence of the incident due to security lapses will be probed, he added.
He said he was certain that the entire Pakistani nation was thinking about how the menace would be tackled in future.
Federal Ministers, Chief Ministers of all four provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan, AJK Prime Minister and all the services chiefs, including Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, ISI chief Lt-Gen Nadeem Anjurm are present in the meeting.
PTI skips meeting
Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) minister Shaukat Yousufzai said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had received the invitation for the meeting, however, they will be skipping the huddle.
“We cannot sit with those who are taking vengeful acts against us,” said Yousufzai.
Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Imran Khan reiterated his disapproval of the incumbent government, and held it responsible for the spread of terrorism.