Daily Times

LAHORE: Following the deadly suicide attack in the city on Monday, opposition parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) lambasted the government for what they said that the government had failed to implement the National Action Plan.

Holding the government responsible for the attack, they condemned that attack in strongest terms and demanded the Punjab government to announce financial assistance for victim’s families. They also exhorted law enforcement agencies to take a stern action against terrorists.

In his condemnation message, Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed said that that party had suspended all activities for the next two days as it was a great tragedy in which dozens of innocent lives had been lost. He said that terrorists were attacking innocent people out of frustration.

PTI Lahore president Hammad Azhar, secretary general Waleed Iqbal, and former governor Chaudhry Sarwar in a statement vehemently condemned that blast, and expressed hope that the Pakistan Army would purge the country of terrorists. They expressed grief over the loss of lives in the attack.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Lahore president Haji Azizur Rehman Chann, secretary general Israrul Haq Butt, Malik Usman, Samina Ghurki, Mian Ayub, Mian Manzoor Wattoo, Abid Hussain Sadiqui, and Napoleon Qayyum also condemned the blast and demanded the government to announce financial assistance for the victims’ families. A statement quoting Chann said that the nation was united against terrorists but the government had failed to control the spate of terrorist activates in the country.

PPP leaders called upon the government to implement the NAP. They also demanded the government to arrest those responsible for the attack.

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and former deputy prime minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi also condemned the blast and termed it an example of poor governance of rulers in the province.

They said that the rulers were busy in protecting their own interests instead of protecting lives of innocent people.

Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Allama Tahirul Qadir also condemned the blast, and held rulers responsible for the attack. Qadri said that law enforcement agencies must deal with terrorists with an iron hand to curb the menace from the country. He also prayed for early recovery of the injured.

Published in Daily Times, July 25^th 2017.