Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday strongly condemned the terrorist attack on mosques in New Zealand’s Christchurch city.
PM Khan prayed for victims and their families who were affected in the terrorist attack.
The prime minister said that he ‘shocked’ over the latest incident which ‘ reaffirms what we have always maintained that terrorism does not have a religion.’
Earlier in the day, at least 40 people have been killed and 20 others were in serious condition when gunmen entered two mosques and began shooting in New Zealand’s city of Christchurch on Friday.
I blame these increasing terror attacks on the current Islamophobia post-9/11 where Islam & 1.3 bn Muslims have collectively been blamed for any act of terror by a Muslim. This has been done deliberately to also demonize legitimate Muslim political struggles. https://t.co/5bBREoayLz
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 15, 2019
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, in his condemnation remarks, said that Christchurch incident was quite sorrowful.
Qureshi said that he has made contact with Pakistan’s ambassador to New Zealand to gather details of the terror attack.
He said, “Around 300 Pakistanis are residing in Christchurch while no loss reported regarding our nationals in the incident.”
The foreign minister said, “It is being said that the attacker belongs to Australia. We’ll update the nation [on the incident] after getting more details.”
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi condemned "in the strongest terms the tragic terrorist attack", shared the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "FM has expressed condolences over loss of innocent lives in the heinous attack."
Strongly condemn the heinous mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved and their families. We are trying to ascertain whether any Pakistanis have been killed in the attack. Terrorism has no religion and a terrorist no country.
— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) March 15, 2019
In a separate tweet, Qureshi said the ministry was trying to ascertain whether any Pakistanis are among the victims.
The mosques — Masjid al Noor in central Christchurch and the other one in suburban Linwood — were packed with worshippers, and members of the Bangladesh cricket team were arriving when the shooter opened fire.
Members of the Bangladesh cricket team, including batsman Tamim Iqbal, described on social media their narrow escape from the mass shooting.
"Glad to hear the team is safe. Hope everyone else is safe also," said Finance Minister Asad Umar, replying to Iqbal. "Terrorists destroying the peace of the world must be fought wherever they are and whichever religion they belong to."
Glad to hear the team is safe. Hope everyone else is safe also. Terrorists destroying the peace of the world must be fought wherever they are and whichever religion they belong to https://t.co/v8B7okoMtf
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) March 15, 2019
PPP Senator Sherry Rehman called it "plain horrific, Islamophobic, anti-Muslim terrorism", saying: "It is certainly not a shooting or simple act of violence as many Western media reports couch it as."
Let’s not sanitise the heinous terrorist attack targeting Muslims praying in a Mosque which says 30-40 dead in #NZMosque.It is certainly not a shooting or simple act of violence as many Western media reports couch it as. It is plain horrific,Islamophobic, anti-Muslim terrorism
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) March 15, 2019
Zulfi Bukhari, the prime minister's special assistant on overseas Pakistanis and human resource development, extended "prayers of the Pakistani nation to victims of the devastating #NewZealand attack".
"Terrorism is a global issue and we stand with the people of NZ to combat it," he added.
Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari, while calling it a "condemnable act of terrorism", lashed out at the International Cricket Council (ICC) in a series of tweets, questioning if the authority would suspend cricket in New Zealand and "use the same yardstick they used for Pakistan to stop international cricket".
