- KP CTD arrested all individuals linked to attack: Mohsin Naqvi.
- Interior minister says India tripled terror budget after May war.
- Naqvi urges social media to close accounts used by terrorists.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday confirmed that the mastermind of the Islamabad suicide blast, associated with the banned Daesh, is in the custody of Pakistan along with the attacker’s facilitators.
Addressing a presser in Islamabad, he said that the mastermind and the facilitators of the deadly attack were arrested in raids conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Peshawar and Nowshera immediately after the blast.
His comments come in the wake of Friday’s deadly attack at an Islamabad imambargah during prayers, which left at least 33 people martyred and dozens injured.
The suicide bomber opened fire before detonating himself at the entrance of the imambargah in the federal capital’s Tarlai area.
“I am telling you again with clarity that their [terrorist outfits] entire funding is being provided by India. All targets being provided to them by India,” Naqvi said during his presser.
He added that the KP Counter Terrorism Department has arrested all individuals linked to the attack, adding that the CTD and other agencies worked together as a team during the operations.
During the raids, he said that a KP policeman was martyred and a few others were injured.
“We have evidence of how the attacker was trained and how he was brought here. The planning and training were carried out in Afghanistan,” the interior minister said.
Naqvi said that India was funding terrorist networks, including Daesh, adding that payments to each militant have increased from $500 to $1,500.
“India has tripled its terror budget after facing a defeat in May,” he said.
However, Naqvi vowed to stop terrorism even “if terrorists increase their budget tenfold”.
The interior minister stressed that Pakistan must treat all militants equally. “Enemy is enemy. Do not categorise those fighting against Pakistan. If the world does not raise its voice, the consequences will be severe,” he warned.
He noted that social media platforms were notified to close accounts used by terrorists. “If platforms do not act, other options will be taken.”
