Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said that the entire planning of the Islamabad suicide attack was carried out by ISIS in Afghanistan, adding that the mastermind of the attack is currently in Pakistani custody.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, the interior minister stated that the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has arrested all individuals linked to the incident. He said authorities possess concrete evidence showing how the attacker was brought into Pakistan, trained in Afghanistan, and facilitated for the attack.
Mohsin Naqvi alleged that India is fully financing terrorism in Pakistan, claiming New Delhi has significantly increased its terror budget following what he termed a defeat in May. He said terrorists who were previously paid $500 are now receiving up to $1,500, with India tripling its funding for terrorist activities.
The interior minister confirmed that four facilitators were arrested in Nowshera and Peshawar with assistance from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CTD. He added that the arrested mastermind is affiliated with the proscribed ISIS organization. During a raid, a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police officer was martyred while several others sustained injuries.
Naqvi said Pakistan is effectively in a state of war and emphasized the importance of community intelligence. He claimed that 21 terrorist organizations are currently operating from Afghan soil and asserted that while one attack succeeded, security forces prevented 99 others.
Commenting on the security situation in Balochistan, he said terrorists involved in recent attacks did not escape alive. He also accused the BLA of producing propaganda videos that are broadcast by Indian media outlets.
The interior minister warned against categorizing enemies, stating that anyone waging war against Pakistan should be treated as a single hostile force. He added that terrorist organizations are coordinating their activities and that authorities have identified numerous social media accounts being used for terrorism. He warned social media platforms of strict action if such accounts are not taken down.
Highlighting internal challenges, Naqvi said he has been unable to fulfill even minor requirements of security institutions. He noted that Islamabad has 93 entry points, a sensitive Red Zone, and that nearly 80 percent of Islamabad Police personnel are over the age of 50.
