Foreign hand involved in Karachi airport attack: Pervaiz Rashid
10 June, 2014
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid has said that foreign elements were involved in the attack on Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
Talking to the press on Monday, the minister said that terrorists had received funds from overseas and that they launched the offensive to paralyse the economic activities in the country.
Condemning the attack, he added that those who had planned and funded the attack did not belong to Pakistan.
Paying tribute to personnel of armed forces, the minister said that terrorists would be dealt with the same way. He lauded the performance of security agencies in response to the attack and expressed satisfaction that national assets were safe. He said that bravery displayed by security forces personnel in containing the terrorist attack was exemplary.
The minister said that the airport had started functioning after being cleared of militants. He said that during the operation, army, rangers, ASF, police and CAA personnel ensured that the damage was kept to the minimum.
Meanwhile, Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan on Monday termed allegations of New Delhi's involvement in attack on Karachi airport as 'baseless'.
"We condemn the terrorist attack at Karachi airport," TCA Raghawan told a ceremony at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Pakistani authorities said they had recovered made-in-India weapons and medicines from the terrorists killed by the security forces at Karachi airport. Raghawan said India wants to establish amicable relations with Pakistan.
"We condemn the terrorist attack in strongest terms. Such allegations are baseless and there is no truth in these," the Indian envoy said. He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a productive meeting recently in New Delhi. He hoped the meeting will bear lasting results for the two countries.
In a statement, Indian External Affairs Ministry said, "The attack on Karachi airport must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. The attack underlines the magnitude of danger that is posed by terrorism."
The ministry said, "If left unchecked, terrorism will continue to hinder efforts to promote national economic development, overcome poverty and provide people better quality of lives."
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