Islamabad suicide bombing suspects arrested, announces Rana Sanaullah

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah announced Tuesday that law enforcement agencies (LEAs) have arrested five suspects allegedly involved in the Islamabad suicide bombing last week.

One policeman was martyred while six other people were injured as a result of a blast in Islamabad’s I-10 sector on Friday morning. The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack.

Following the incident, the first in the capital since 2014, several embassies— including the United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and Australia — advised their citizens to limit their movement in the capital.

In an interview with Geo News, Rana Sanaullah said that the taxi driver was not involved in the attack, as the suspects had rented the taxi from him.

“The suspects travelled from Kurram Agency to Rawalpindi,” he told the channel, adding that the security forces have arrested five suspects and their handlers in connection with the incident.

Pakistan witnessed a fresh wave of terrorism after the banned outfit TTP announced ending a ceasefire with the country and upped attacks on civilians and security forces alike.

As many as nine intermittent blasts hit Balochistan — three in Quetta, two in Turtbat, and one each in Hub and Kohlu district — leaving five soldiers, including a captain, martyred and injuring 15 others on Sunday.

Earlier this month, militants took over a Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) compound in KP's Bannu area, which was cleared by the Pakistan Army three days later. However, four soldiers embraced martyrdom and 10 sustained injuries.

But the government and the army have expressed the resolve to ensure that the rising terror will be nipped in the bud before it grows out of hand.

In his address during a ceremony a day earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated his resolve to uproot the menace of terrorism by using all resources available in Pakistan.

"We are working hard to prevent them. We will employ all resources to uproot terrorism to bring peace in Pakistan," he added.