ISLAMABAD: Pakistan condemned a bomb attack in Türkiye on Sunday after the administration in Ankara confirmed an explosion in front of the interior ministry building which led to the death of two perpetrators and injured two police officers near the site of the blast.
The militants were said to have driven up to the main entrance of the building before setting off the explosion in a sensitive area that houses several government buildings and parliament.
According to the Turkish authorities, one of the militants died in the attack while the other was “neutralized” by uniformed personnel.
The blast, which was the first in the Turkish capital city in years, prompted the Pakistan government to express solidarity with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s administration.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the terrorist attack targeting the Ministry of Internal Affairs of brotherly Türkiye earlier today,” the foreign office said in a brief statement. “We pray for the swift and complete recovery of those injured in this heinous attack.”
“Pakistan resolutely stands with Türkiye in its fight against the scourge of terrorism,” it added. “We are confident that with their characteristic grit and determination, the Turkish nation will defeat this menace and emerge ever stronger.”
A similar message was also shared by Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on social media where he posed trust in President Erdoğan’s leadership to deal with such security challenges.
Türkiye has grappled with the issue of militant violence in the past, which raised questions about its security and stability.
Pakistan and Türkiye have enjoyed close defense and diplomatic relations for several decades and frequently come to each other’s rescue.
The administration in Ankara played a significant role during the rescue and relief stage during last year’s monsoon rains and floods in Pakistan which damaged houses, farmlands and public infrastructure.
Pakistan was also one of the foremost countries that dispatched aid and relief items for Türkiye following a 7.6-magnitude earthquake in February.
Over 50,000 people were killed in parts of Türkiye and Syria where the quake struck while thousands of structures were razed to the ground.