ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s information minister on Tuesday rejected the use of the term “militants” to describe those involved in a deadly terrorist attack in Karachi, saying the attackers should be described only as terrorists.
Terrorists attacked a Pakistan Rangers facility in Karachi on June 27, in which three security personnel were martyred, according to the military. The attackers had detonated an explosion at the gate before attempting to breach the compound. Security forces killed three attackers and captured one wounded suspect, identified as an Afghan national.
In a post on X, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said, “Terrorists are terrorists, they have no caste, colour, creed or religion.”
He said there appeared to be a trend of describing attackers as “militants,” calling it “extremely unfortunate.”
Tarar cited a TRT World report that used the term in its coverage. “The Karachi attack was a terrorist attack, in which innocent people were killed. Terrorists must not be called by any other name,” he wrote on X.
Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Afghan nationals, including one suspect captured alive, took part in the attack and said Afghan territory was being used to plan attacks inside Pakistan. The Foreign Office said it summoned the Afghan chargé d’affaires in Islamabad on Monday and issued a “strong demarche” over the attack.
It said a similar protest was delivered through Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul.
Following the attack, Pakistani security forces carried out "clearance operations" and conducted retaliatory operations, according to the military.
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