MIRAMSHAH: The outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Monday claimed responsibility for the attack on Karachi airport in revenge for the killing of their leader. Hakeemullah Mehsud died in a US drone strike in November.

“We carried out the attack on Karachi airport to avenge the death of Hakeemullah Mehsud,” TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid told AFP.

“[The] Pakistan [government] used peace talks as a tool of war; it killed hundreds of innocent tribal women and children. This is our first attack to avenge the death of Hakeemullah Mehsud,” he said.

“It’s just the beginning, we have taken revenge for one, we have to take revenge for hundreds.”

Umar Media, the media wing of the TTP, claimed on their Facebook page that just six militants had attacked the airport.

The biggest reason for attacking Karachi airport is because it serves as the biggest air logistics centre supplying goods for the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, says the statement on Facebook page.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2014

Opinion

Editorial

By-election trends
Updated 23 Apr, 2024

By-election trends

Unless the culture of violence and rigging is rooted out, the credibility of the electoral process in Pakistan will continue to remain under a cloud.
Privatising PIA
23 Apr, 2024

Privatising PIA

FINANCE Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s reaffirmation that the process of disinvestment of the loss-making national...
Suffering in captivity
23 Apr, 2024

Suffering in captivity

YET another animal — a lioness — is critically ill at the Karachi Zoo. The feline, emaciated and barely able to...
Not without reform
Updated 22 Apr, 2024

Not without reform

The problem with us is that our ruling elite is still trying to find a way around the tough reforms that will hit their privileges.
Raisi’s visit
22 Apr, 2024

Raisi’s visit

IRANIAN President Ebrahim Raisi, who begins his three-day trip to Pakistan today, will be visiting the country ...
Janus-faced
22 Apr, 2024

Janus-faced

THE US has done it again. While officially insisting it is committed to a peaceful resolution to the...