Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday that the facilitators and handlers had been traced and the public would be informed shortly.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the information minister said they had come forward with a message of peace and that there was no room for sectarianism or hatred. He said Pakistan would not allow its soil to be used against the country and would not permit Afghan territory to be used for terrorism against Pakistan. "The state’s message is clear that there was no space for terrorism. It had been established that the terrorist had travelled to Afghanistan to receive training."
He said the Peace Message Committee aimed to counter the narrative and mindset of terrorists and to unite the nation. He added that the committee included representatives from the Christian, Hindu, and Sikh communities. He said the state’s message was clear and that terrorists no longer had the capacity to strike hard targets.
Tarar said terrorists would be pursued under all circumstances. He said law enforcement agencies were active and that handlers were identified swiftly. He reiterated that there was no space for terrorists and that pressure would be tightened against them.
The information minister said around 170 people injured in the blast were receiving proper medical treatment. He added the government stood shoulder to shoulder with the affected families. He said the entire country was in mourning, adding that the grief and sorrow had strengthened national resolve and that terrorists would be eliminated.
Dr Allama Muhammad Hussain Akbar thanked the information minister for expressing solidarity during the time of grief. He said every Pakistani was saddened by the Islamabad tragedy and that citizens must remain vigilant. He added the enemy could not harm the nation, offered condolences to the mothers of the martyrs, and said soldiers of the Pakistan Army were sacrificing their lives for the homeland. He maintained there was unity in the nation and that the challenge would be faced together.
