Army to investigate Bannu attack: Ch Nisar

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar stated that the government has decided to have the army investigate the terrorist attack in Bannu that took place Sunday martyring 20 soldiers while injuring 30.
According to reports, the interior minister asked the reporters to shut down the cameras, following which, he spoke to the media informally saying that a large quantity of ammunition was used in the attack. He added that the capacity of the security institutions needs to be raised.
Confirming Dunya News’ report about the national security policy, Ch Nisar said that the policy will be presented to the national cabinet on Monday.
The minister said that the Rapid Response Force will act on the intelligence they receive and that the air wing of interior ministry is also being handed over to the Rapid Response Force. Federal minister went on to say that the political forces should not do ‘point scoring’ on the matter of negotiating with Taliban. Instead of point-scoring, prevent the nation from the state of chaos, he pleaded.
Earlier today, the attack on security forces convoy claimed the lives of 20 soldiers and injured 30.
The preliminary report of the attack suggested that the explosives were planted in the cylinder of a private vehicle that was hired for transporting the supplies.
Reportedly, Frontier Corps personnel were present at the cantonment ready to go with the convoy to deliver supplies to Miran Shah as a matter of routine and suddenly one of the vehicles exploded. The intensity of the blast shook the whole city. According to sources, the vehicle was blown using a remote control that resulted in destruction of several vehicles and injuries of dozens of personnel present at the time. At least 40 vehicles were present at the time of explosion.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain, former president Asif Ali Zardari, MQM chief Altaf Hussain, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak, Jamaat Islami chief Syed Munnawar Hassan and Sunni Ittehad Council chief Hamid Raza have strongly condemned the attack.
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Shahidullah Shahid, while claiming the responsibility, said that the attacks on security forces will increase in the coming days.
Bannu has been the site of several attacks targeting security forces in the past.
Pakistani troops have been fighting for years against homegrown insurgents in the tribal belt, which the US considers the main hub of Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants plotting attacks on the West and in Afghanistan.