Stating that cowardly acts of killing innocent people cannot go unpunished, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has vowed to step up the fight against terrorism. The statement comes in the wake of yet another suicide attack in the country, this time on a high-security military base which killed 15 elite commandos on Thursday night. Musharraf has ordered a thorough probe into the attack.
Stung by the string of attacks targeting the military in the last few days, Musharraf said that the Army should thoroughly investigate how a suicide bomber was able to penetrate the security at Ghazi Tarbela base in north-west Pakistan, 70 km from Islamabad. The attacker rammed his vehicle into the soldier's mess during dinner time.
Chief spokesman for the military Major General Waheed Arshad confirmed that 15 commandos were killed and 11 injured in the incident.
"The government will fight the menace of terrorism, extremism and militancy in all its forms and manifestations," Musharraf said in Islamabad on Friday. Condemning the 'unfortunate incident', Musharraf said 'such cowardly acts of killing innocent people cannot be left unpunished.'
The Tarbela base is the headquarters of the quick-reaction counter-terrorism commandos, who have taken part in several anti-terror strikes including the Lal Masjid operation in July.