Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid has warned of more terrorist attacks in the country against the backdrop of similar onslaughts in areas of Balochistan, in which many security personnel were martyred.

“I do not want to talk about the ‘talks’ issue. The Taliban are in the middle of this… but the events happened in the last one week can increase and we can see an uptick [in such attacks],” Rashid said while addressing the Kashmir solidarity day event in Rawalpindi.

Seven soldiers were martyred and four injured in clashes with terrorists in Balochistan’s towns of Panjgur and Naushki on February 3, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations. The incident was preceded by another onslaught, which occurred on the night of January 25-26, in Kech district where 10 soldiers were martyred after terrorists attacked a security forces’ check post.

Rise in terrorism

Over the last two months, Rashid in his pressers had expressed concerns over the resurgence in terrorist activities but on one occasion he had also offered an olive branch to the banned TTP group with a warning of a befitting response if the latter opted to fight.

While he praised the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan during his address, he only alluded to the role the Taliban in talks with the militants outfit while declining to elaborate further.

Taliban and Afghanistan

The interior minister also spoke about Afghanistan and its current rulers. “After fighting for 20-40 years, the Taliban has freed their country. I want to say Pakistan has good relations with Taliban, which means Afghanistan,” he said, adding that his ministry and the armed forces have held meetings with them.

He equated the success of the Taliban with that of Muslims while asserting that Pakistan seeks to be a “good neighbour" to the country that has been ravaged by decades of car.

‘Nawaz’s future will fall like Nasla Tower’

Interior Minister Rashid also mocked ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif for submitting a medical report, which advised the PML-N supremo against travelling to Pakistan in view of possible health risks amid the Covid-19 pandemic, amid the rising clamour of the latter’s return.

“Nawaz Sharif’s political future will fall like Nasla Tower and the PPP’s politics will fall like Tejori Heights, Rashid said, adding that from the last four months there was a buzz that the former premier was returning.

He claimed that as compared to previous times spending jail term was easy in current times.

On PDM’s upcoming protest on March 23 in Islamabad, he said: “In a single shot, the government will end all rotten eggs when they will come to the federal capital.”

He blamed the opposition leaders for looting the public money, which “caused” inflation, hike prices of basic commodities.

“If the time comes, I will like to be hanged till death but won’t make a fake medical certificate.”

Kashmiris should decide their fate

Rashid said: “Pakistan is incomplete without Pakistan. We want your freedom. Kashmiris should decide what they want. Our brotherhood with you is for Kashmir’s independence and for Kashmir’s independence.”

He lamented the Muslims condition in India, saying that living conditions for the Muslim minorities in Delhi and other cities were difficult. He added that the BJP did not even give a single ticket to a Muslim politician in the upcoming UP elections.