COAS SWEARS VENGEANCE ON PERPETRATORS

GEN BAJWA INQUIRES AFTER INJURED OF VEGETABLE MARKET BLAST APPLAUDS SUPPORT OF TRIBAL PEOPLE IN COMBATING TERRORISM SEVEN SUSPECTS APPREHENDED AS MANHUNT FOR TERRORISTS GOES ON

CHIEF of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Sunday vowed to punish the perpetrators of Saturday’s Parachinar market bombing which left 25 people dead and over 80 others wounded.

The army chief, who visited the Agency Headquarters Hospital in Parachinar to inquire after the injured, directed army officers to award exemplary punishment to those involved in the terrorist attack.

According to military’s media wing, General Bajwa was given a detailed briefing on the Parachinar blast. The COAS visited Combined Military Hospital, Peshawar and met critically injured of the Parachinar blast that were evacuated by army helicopters and vehicles.

The COAS also met tribal elders of the Agency, said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

Expressing grief on the incident, General Qamar Javed Bajwa lauded the support of tribal brethren in combating terrorism and acknowledged their sacrifices for peace.

He said with their support the army, Frontier Corps and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) had done a great job in stabilising the area and terrorists would fail to derail it.

The COAS lauded their efforts in maintaining tribal and sectarian harmony which, according to him, was a source of national integration.

“Pakistan belongs to all of us without any religious, provincial, tribal, linguistic, ethnic, sectarian or any other discrimination,” he asserted.

ANNOUNCES APS FOR PARACHINAR: On demand from people, the army chief announced establishment of an Army Public School (APS) in Parachinar for quality education.

The tribal elders thanked the COAS for sharing their sorrow and announcement for establishing APS. They pledged to continue supporting efforts for enduring peace and stability.

Strict security arrangements were put in place upon the army chief’s arrival in Parachinar city where he was received by Lieutenant-General Nazir Ahmed Butt, Commander Peshawar Corps.

EIGHT SUSPECTS ARRESTED: At least eight suspects have rounded up from different areas following Saturday’s explosion, Assistant Political Agent Shahid Ali Khan said. On a tip-off, law enforcement agencies arrested eight suspects and shifted them to an undisclosed location for further investigation. The identification of suspects could not be ascertained immediately. The official further stated that remains of bodies found at the site of the attack have been sent to Islamabad for DNA testing.

MARKETS CLOSE AS CITY MOURNS BLAST VICTIMS: Markets and shops in Parachinar remained closed today as the city mourned the death of 25 people in a powerful blast at Eidgah market early Saturday morning.

Security has been tightened around the city following the tragedy. Checkpoints and blockades have been set up in various parts of the city and vehicles are only being let through after thorough checking. A combined funeral prayer of 21 of the victims was held on Saturday at Parachinar’s main Imambargah, after which their bodies were shifted to their hometowns for burial.

33 of the injured remain under treatment at Agency Headquarters Hospital, Parachinar. At least 20 of the injured are being treated in Peshawar.

25 people were killed and over 65 injured early Saturday when a powerful explosion ripped through a crowded marketplace in the northwestern city of Parachinar in Kurram tribal agency.

The explosion occurred at around 8:50AM at the city’s Eidgah market, where a large number of people were shopping for fruits and vegetables.

The Inter-Services Public Relations, the military’s media wing, said that the blast was carried out through an improvised explosive device (IED).