Peshawar attack: ‘Who brought the terrorists back?’, asks PM Shehbaz

In the aftermath of the devastating blast in Peshawar, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday questioned “who brought the terrorists back?”

In a cabinet meeting, the PM said operations Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad had “swept away terrorism from Pakistan” and blamed the recent rise in terrorism incidents on “the former government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa”, which was led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), although he did not name any party.

Death toll in Peshawar mosque suicide blast rises to 100

He questioned the “misuse” of funds by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and criticised it for failing to “create defences against terrorism.”

“The federal government cleared the NFC (National Finance Comission) award for KP on priority every year but still the province is not able to deal with terrorism. Where did the funds go?” he questioned.

He was of the view that if the government failed to take corrective measures, the spike in terror incidents would spread all over Pakistan.

“We will deal with terrorism. This is the top priority for now,” he said. “We cannot forget the sacrifices and support given by Pakistanis.”

We must put our house in order, says Asif after Peshawar mosque bombing

On Monday, a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a crowded mosque next to the Police Lines in Peshawar, in a highly fortified security compound, the latest in a string of attacks targeting police.

The last major incident of such a nature took place in Peshawar last year when a suicide blast inside a Shia mosque in Kocha Risaldar area claimed 63 lives.