ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The United States has strongly condemned Sunday’s attack on the Punjab Home Minister Colonel (retd) Shuja Khanzada’s pubic office in Attock, and offered its assistance in investigation into the incident.
“We support Pakistan’s determination to bring to justice those behind the attack and are prepared to provide assistance, if requested to government authorities investigating this reprehensible act,” the US Mission in Pakistan said on Monday in a statement issued on the US embassy in Islamabad website.
The US mission also extended its deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of the victims.
“Such blatant disregard for human life is unacceptable and contrary to the aspirations of the Pakistani people for a secure, stable, and prosperous nation,” the US mission said.
It further said that the United States remains committed to Pakistan’s efforts to fight terrorism.
Earlier, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and the European Union President Jean-Claude Juncker also condemned the Attock bomb blast and expressed condolences and symapthies with the bereaved families of those killed in the attack.
On Sunday, a suicide bomber blew up himself when a jirga was underway at the public office of the Shuja Khanzada in his native Shadi Khan village in Punjab’s Attock district.
The deadly attack left at least 19 people including the Punjab home minister and the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Hazro Shaukat Shah killed while 17 other people were also injured.