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Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on Saturday said that the terrorists and facilitators behind the attacks on 12th Rabiul Awwal were \u201cproxies of the enemies of Pakistan and its people\u201d.<\/p>\n
A day ago, a grisly suicide blast<\/a> targeting a 12th Rabiul Awwal procession in Balochistan\u2019s Mastung claimed the lives of 55 people, including a police officer. Four Pakistan Army soldiers were also martyred during an operation in Zhob \u2014 which is located at a five-hour distance from Mastung.<\/p>\n No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. However, the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), responsible for some of the bloodiest attacks in Pakistan, denied its involvement.<\/p>\n A second bomb attack<\/a> took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa\u2019s Hangu, which targeted a police station\u2019s mosque in the city. Five people were killed, and 12 were injured as the mosque\u2019s roof collapsed in the explosion\u2019s impact.<\/p>\n The army chief visited Quetta today where he was briefed on recent terrorist attacks in Mastung and Zhob in a meeting with interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti, caretaker Balochistan Chief Minister Ali Mardan Khan Domki, provincial ministers and senior civil and military officials.<\/p>\n The meeting\u2019s participants offered prayers for the martyrs of the three incidents, according to a press release issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).<\/p>\n Paying tribute to the martyrs, the army chief said: \u201cSuch incidents of terrorism on 12 Rabiul Awwal, depicts the ill intent of the khawarij<\/em> (defectors from religious mainstream), who have the backing of state sponsors of terrorism.<\/p>\n \u201cThese terrorists and their facilitators, having no link with religion and ideology, are proxies of the enemies of Pakistan and its people. These forces of evil will continue to face full might of the state and security forces backed by a resilient nation.\u201d<\/p>\n The army chief said the military\u2019s operation against terrorists would continue unabated and the security forces, intelligence and law enforcement agencies \u201cshall not rest till the menace of terrorism is rooted out from the country\u201d.<\/p>\n He said that the people had \u201crejected terrorists\u2019 pseudo ideology and propaganda of their backers\u201d and were fully committed to peace, economic progress and human development, noting that this \u201cindeed is causing a lot of distress to forces of evil in and outside of Pakistan\u201d.<\/p>\n The ISPR said he also visited Combined Military Hospital Quetta where he met the injured and the families affected by the Mastung incident.<\/p>\n \u201cHe also lauded the bravery and resilience of Balochistan police and law enforcement personnel. He assured full cooperation and support to the families of martyrs and assured them that terrorists, their abettors and facilitators will not be spared,\u201d the ISPR said.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Bugti alleged that the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India\u2019s foreign intelligence agency, was involved in the recent terror attacks in Balochistan.<\/p>\n Speaking to the media in Quetta, he claimed: \u201cThose playing the role of a facilitator, whoever is doing this \u2014 be it anyone, whatever you may call it \u2014 they all are the same for us, all have the same origins, all are being handled from one place, RAW is behind all them.\u201d<\/p>\n The minister added, \u201cAll incidents that took place before this\u2026 they all were unearthed \u2014 all major incidents that occurred in Balochistan \u2014 and the RAW\u2019s involvement has been there behind all those, and the forces that want to destabilise Pakistan.\u201d<\/p>\n He did not provide any proof or evidence to back his statements.<\/p>\n\u2018RAW\u2019 involved in recent terror attacks: Bugti<\/h2>\n