PESHAWAR/ISLAMAD: In connection with the suicide bombing in a high-security area mosque in Peshawar that killed 101 people, including 97 police officers, Pakistan's security forces made 17 arrests. Army chief Gen. Asim Munir said he would have no tolerance for terror groups and told his generals to get rid of the threat of militancy. On Monday, during the Zuhr (afternoon) prayers, a Taliban suicide bomber in the front row blew himself up, causing the worshipers' roof to collapse.
According to sources, the security agencies have detained 17 suspects in connection with the devastating blast, which was the deadliest attack on security personnel in Pakistan in decades.
According to sources who spoke with PTI on condition of anonymity, the suspects were transferred to an interrogation cell for the purpose of investigation after the arrests were made close to the Police Lines area, where the mosque is located.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated in a statement on Wednesday that the entire nation and its institutions are working together to eliminate the threat posed by terrorism.
The prime minister stated that the police will be further strengthened and equipped with cutting-edge weapons, describing them as a frontline force in the fight against terrorism.
Sharif expressed serious concerns about the resurgence of terrorist groups, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan, during a meeting of the federal cabinet on Wednesday in Islamabad.
The despicable incidents might spread to other parts of the country, the Prime Minister stated, if immediate and effective measures were not taken.
The Pakistani Taliban, also known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the suicide attack at the Peshawar mosque, claiming that it was a retaliation for the death of TTP commander Umar Khalid Khurasani, who was killed in Afghanistan in August of last year.
In the meantime, Pakistan's top generals have pledged to bring the Peshawar terrorist attack's perpetrators to justice.
The 255th Corps Commanders' Conference, which was held on Tuesday at general headquarters in Rawalpindi, was presided over by General Munir, who stated that the military was determined to eliminate the threat posed by militancy from the country.
According to a statement released by the army, the army chief referred to the attack on the Peshawar mosque and stated that "such immoral and cowardly acts cannot shake the resolve of the nation rather reinvigorate our determination to succeed in ongoing war against terror with zero tolerance for any terrorist entity."
According to the statement, General Munir "directed all commanders to continue focus on anti-terrorism operations in coordination with intelligence and law enforcement agencies with renewed resolve until the time we achieve sustainable peace," and he was in Peshawar on Monday with Prime Minister Sharif following the suicide bombing.
On Tuesday, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah informed parliament that 97 police officers were among the deceased.
He claimed that the nation's terrorism was brought on by previous policies. He said, referring to the Afghan war against the former Soviet Union, "We created mujahideen, but they have become terrorists."
People in Peshawar, once known as "the city of flowers," were shocked by the explosion.
On Wednesday, the police stormed a protest rally in Peshawar to demand an impartial and open investigation into the fatal bombing. The rally's speakers called for the creation of a joint investigation team to look into the blast.
They also demanded severe punishment for those responsible for the devastating bombing that resulted in the deaths of innocent people, mostly police officers.
People from all walks of life attended the rally in large numbers.
On Tuesday, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif urged all political forces to unite against terrorists who are targeting the nation as a whole rather than a particular sect or group of people.
"Against this kind of terrorism, there needs to be a consensus like there was during the Zarb-e-Azb operation. The defense minister stated, "It is hoped that the prime minister will take a step in this direction."
Zarb-e-Azb was established following the 2014 school bombing in Peshawar, which killed approximately 150 people, primarily students. The security forces eliminated and killed militants during the operation.
Outside the parliament building, journalists questioned Asif about the possibility of a new operation against the militants.
He stated that a decision regarding the launch of a military operation to eliminate militancy would be made by the high-level National Security Committee (NSC).
"The National Security Committee will make this decision. He stated, "Things of this nature can be resolved at a forum, like the NSC, that is capable of making such significant decisions."
Asif stated that politicians from all parties needed to reach a similar consensus because the most recent bombing in Peshawar was just as tragic as the massacre at the Army Public School in 2014.
He also stated that the world had not acknowledged Pakistan's economic losses of over USD 126 billion and its 83,000 deaths, including members of the armed forces and police.
He said that Imran Khan's previous administration had talks with the Taliban.
"We were informed two years ago that we could speak with these people (the terrorists). They were permitted to settle in the country later, he stated.