Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sahrif on Sunday said that the whole nation is united and stands by the armed forces in its efforts to flush out the terrorists in the country.
He said this during his visit to Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Rawalpindi, where he inquired after the health of the people who were injured in a terrorist strike at Parade Lane Mosque on December 4, and prayed for their early recovery.
Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Nisar Ali Khan, Rawalpindi Division Commissioner Zahid Saeed, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Rawalpindi Region Aslam Tareen, City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Muhammad Iqbal Khan and other officers accompanied the chief minister.
He also visited to the house of Peshawar Corps Commander Lieutenant General Masood Alam to condole the death of his son Hashim Masood and Major General Umer Bilal who died in the attack on the mosque.
He expressed deep sorrow and grief over the death of innocent people and army officers. He offered Fateha for the departed souls and patients for their relatives. The CM also visited the memorial of security personnel and civilians who lost their lives during terrorist strike at the mosque. The memorial was established at Roomi Park on Peshawar Road.
While talking to newsmen at the memorial, he condemned the cowardly act of the terrorists at the worshippers and said that the terrorists had no religion so they had no respect for the innocent people and dignity of the holy places.
He said that he came here to express his heartfelt condolence and that of the people of Punjab to the bereaved families whose near and dear ones lost their lives while offering Friday prayers. He said that the whole nation was united and it "stands by the armed forces" in its efforts to flush out the terrorists from the country. He said that the blood of martyrs would not go as waste, and the whole nation would defeat the terrorists.