ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan has assured to extend all out support to the provincial governments and law enforcement agencies in tackling with the menace of terrorism.

Addressing a news conference here in Islamabad on Thursday, he said Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has taken responsibility for the latest terrorist attack in Balochistan which is condemnable and alarming not only for Pakistan but for the whole region.

The Interior Minister said resurge of terrorism is also a matter of concern for neighboring Afghanistan where Pakistan has been extending every possible assistance for peace. He said provincial governments of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should fulfill their responsibility of ensuring law and order and may at any time seek federation’s assistance to counter the terrorist threat.

He said the federal government is keeping a check on the security situation across the country and our security forces are fully capable of dealing with any challenge. To a question, Rana Sanaullah regretted that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan did not attend a recent security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

To another question, the Interior minister highlighted that the Afghan government had made a promise to the world that they would not allow their soil to be used for terrorism. He said, if they follow through with this, it is not only in the benefit of Pakistan but it is also for their own benefit, because if the TTP is present there and is carrying out terrorist activities here, their soil is being used contrary to their claims.

The Minister also castigated PTI chief Imran Khan for “attempting to spread anarchy and chaos” in the country and for persistently pushing the country toward uncertainty. He said after the ‘failure’ of the PTI’s long march, Imran Khan should have accepted his defeat, apologize to the nation and made his way back to parliament.