Moments after a devastating bombing at Lal Shahbaz Qalander shrine in Sehwan, Sindh, the Pakistan military issued a strongly worded statement to "hostile powers", saying it will respond to such attacks.

In a short message posted to Twitter, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said, "Recent terrorist acts are being executed on directions from hostile powers and from sanctuaries in Afghanistan. We shall defend and respond."

"Each drop of the nation's blood shall be revenged, and revenged immediately. No more restraint for anyone," the army chief was quoted as saying.

He added that Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has appealed for "calm".

"Your security forces shall not allow hostile powers to succeed. We stand for our nation," Ghafoor quoted COAS Bajwa as saying.

At least 80 people were killed and scores injured in a suicide attack on the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan on Thursday evening. The attack is the fourth in a string of a shocking wave of militancy across the country, with Lahore, Quetta and Mohmand Agency struck in the last four days.

PM condemns attack

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that an attack on the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar is an attack on the progressive and inclusive future of Pakistan.

"The Sufi people predate Pakistan's history, and played an important part in the struggle for its formation," he said.

"An attack on them is a direct threat to Jinnah's Pakistan and will be dealt as such," the PM was quoted as saying in a statement released by his media office in Islamabad.

Sindh Governor Mohammad Zubair, in his message of solidairty, said, "Sindh is a land of the Sufis. The terrorists have targeted the devotees to achieve their nefarious designs."

"This attack tantamounts to attack on the entire nation."

Opinion

Editorial

Political sacrifice
Updated 30 Nov, 2023

Political sacrifice

Imran deserves praise for displaying political maturity in handling party's chairmanship transition.
‘Quick-fix’ nation
30 Nov, 2023

‘Quick-fix’ nation

THE impulse for policy prescriptions that will quickly ‘fix’ the rotten economy, create tens of hundreds of jobs...
Narcotics menace
30 Nov, 2023

Narcotics menace

WE are watching a tragedy unfold — the curse of substance abuse and addiction hits every fourth household in...
Sindh lawlessness
29 Nov, 2023

Sindh lawlessness

GOVERNMENTS come and go, but little has been done to control rampant crime across Sindh, particularly its lawless...
New compact
29 Nov, 2023

New compact

AS elections approach ever closer without any tangible improvement in the political atmosphere, there has been a...
Climate crossroads
Updated 29 Nov, 2023

Climate crossroads

As Pakistan presents its case at COP28, the focus must be on ensuring that the L&D fund.