ISLAMABAD, Dec 17: Interior Minister Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat on Wednesday said the involvement of Al Qaeda or a foreign hand in the Rawalpindi blast could not be ruled out.

“We are working on different lines and at this stage I cannot rule out their involvement,” he told newsmen at the passing out ceremony of the immigration department’s women assistant sub-inspectors at the Federal Investigation Agency headquarters.

He said investigation was under progress into the terrorist incident of Sunday.

“This was purely a terrorist act, our security agencies are working overtime to counter terrorist threats - we have to counter people who are pursuing a self-seeking agenda, who are trying to impose their agenda on the society,” he said.

He said the incident highlighted the multiple threats that the society was confronting.

“We have to neutralize and counter these threats for the safety of our people. We have to take our fight against extremism and intolerance to its logical conclusion without any compromise,” he maintained.

The minister said: “Pakistan is a major partner in the fight against terrorism and we have a firm resolve not to relent in the fight.”

He said Pakistan’s leadership had resolved to root out religious extremism for the country’s sustainable socioeconomic development.

He said the country’s success in curbing trans-national crimes, drug smuggling and human trafficking hinged on the performance of the immigration officers at major airports.

He called for a strict check on human trafficking.

He underlined that the immigration officers were the first face of a country to the foreign visitors.

Mr Hayat distributed certificates among outstanding officers among the batch of 40 trainees.

With the induction, the number of women ASIs has reached 80. The minister the number would be increased to 250.

He said women immigration officers would be posted at ports and border checkpoints.

FIA Director-General Syed Mohib Asad said a majority of the women officers had university degrees.