ISLAMABAD - President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif have strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Istanbul, Turkey and expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives of civilians and police.

“The people and the government of Pakistan are deeply saddened and stand in complete solidarity with the people and government of Turkey at this critical moment,” the president and the prime minister said in their separate messages on Sunday.  The prime minister prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and for the swift recovery of those injured during the terrorist attack.

“Terrorism is a common threat and must be fought with collective efforts. Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” the prime minister reiterated.

The president said observed that terrorism had badly affected the global peace and especially the Muslim countries and there was a need for collective efforts to eradicate it. “The two brotherly countries were united in their efforts to eliminate terrorism and would continue their cooperation with each other,” he added.