ISLAMABAD, June 14: Northern Areas Cabinet on Friday strongly condemned the cowardly terrorist strike in Karachi, which took a toll of several innocent lives.

Presiding over the meeting, Minister for KANA and Safron and Chief Executive of Northern Areas, Mr Abbas Sarfaraz Khan said that Pakistan enemies were making efforts to destabilize the country through such acts.

Killing of innocent people by the terrorist attacks is to spread fear and panic among the people, discourage foreign investment and create uncertainty and unrest in the country but forces inimical to Pakistan will never succeed in their ulterior motives and Pakistan will continue to march on the path of progress and prosperity.

He said that Pakistan joined hands with the global coalition against terrorism because it was also a victim of it.

The minister also said that Pakistan had taken hard steps against terrorism and such incidents were being plan-ned by the opponents of Pakistan.

Mr Abbas Sarfaraz also appointed a two-member team of advisers of NAs to visit the areas affected by the unprovoked Indian shelling and to provide immediate relief to them.

The minister announced one million rupees from his discretionary grant for the relief of displaced population and stated that on his request the cabinet division would also provide some relief goods.

He also congratulated the newly-appointed advisers and said the NAs cabinet had been completed. All the cabinet members, he hoped, would play their role for the betterment of the area and resolve the problems faced by the people living there.

Deputy Chief Executive of NAs, Fida Nashad, briefed the cabinet on the displacement of population by the Indian shelling and the steps taken to extend relief to them.

He thanked the minister for inducting two new advisers in the cabinet from Diamer and Ghanche districts on merit. Earlier, the minister administered the oath of office on Engineer M. Ismail and Janbaz Khan as advisers.