TOBA TEK SINGH / ISLAMABAD: Vandals and arsonists attacking the outlets of international fast food chains will be treated as terrorists, the Minister of State for Interior, Tallal Chaudhry, warned on Saturday.

The statement came after mobs carried out 20 attacks across the country targeting the outlets of KFC.

During one such attack in Sheikhupura on April 14, two men appeared outside a restaurant and one of them opened fire, killing an employee.

Earlier this month, three restaurants were attacked in Karachi, one outlet set on fire in Mirpurkhas and one pelted with stones in Larkana.

Similar incidents took place in Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi as well.

Mr Chaudhry said that around 160 people had been arrested 145 in Punjab and 15 in Islamabad over the spate of attacks. As many as 12 FIRs were registered over the attacks in Punjab.

In a press conference, the minister termed these attacks `unfortunate and intolerable`, saying vandals `will be dealt with in the same manner as terrorists`.

`The state has a responsibility to pro-tect life and property, whether they are of Pakistani businesses or foreigners investing here.

Mr Chaudhry said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had directed provincial governments to take steps for protecting life and property.

The minister said Pakistan was aware of the grave injustices taking place in Palestine, but attacks on investors under the guise of solidarity with Palestinians were condemnable and unjustified.

He said foreign investment in Pakistan was not possible as long as such violent incidents continue to take place.

Internationalfood chains have invested over $100 million in the country and pay taxes, unlike local businesses which were `involved in tax evasion`.

`Whether it`s CPEC or the mines and minerals sector, foreign investors are the crown jewels of Pakistan`s economy, Tallal Chaudhry added.

`These restaurants source everything locally and employ Pakistani staff, and their earnings remain within the country.

`Targeting investors who follow the law of the land and create employment opportunities is simply unacceptable.

Mr Chaudhry highlighted that several renowned clerics had issued edicts stating that `attacking, boycotting businesses without any reason or spreading hatred against them is un-Islamic`.

He said the edicts had been shared with the media to remove misunderstanding.

According to Mr Chaudhry, all religious and political parties had distanced themselves from such attacks. `Some party workers might have been present in their personal capacity, but no political party owns them up,` he added.

`Sympathy for terrorists` The minister criticised the PTI, accusing it of having `sympathy for terrorists`, saying that its leaders stay away from national security meetings.

He alleged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, instead of acting against terrorists, was busy promoting `jirga diplomacy with Afghanistan`. This was an apparent reference to a proposal by the KP government to send a jirga comprising tribal elders to Afghanistan for talks on terrorism.

Mr Chaudhry claimed PTI founder Imran Khan had directed the KP government to improve relations with Afghanistan, following which the chief minister announced that a tribal delegation would be sent to Kabul.

With additional input from AFP