September 27, 2002	Friday	Rajab 19, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 26: The killings of Christian community members in Karachi was widely condemned by people from all walks of life, including politicians and civil society organizations. They also criticized the law enforcement and other agencies for failing to curb the increasing terrorist acts, specially against the minorities.

Qaumi Jamhoori Party president, Air Marshal Mohammad Asghar Khan (retired) expressed deep shock over the ghastly murder of seven people belonging to the Christian community in Karachi on Wednesday.

He said “it is yet another act of terrorism which has made all the Pakistani people to bow their head in shame for having once again not been able to protect minority communities.”

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, the veteran politician said the shocking act of terrorism came only two days after the people were told that terrorists network had been broken and that the country was heading to a terrorism-free society.

This, Mr Khan said, was a failure by the intelligence agencies which seemed satisfied with the arrest of the members of a terrorist group.

The government should not have relied so much on agencies’ reports which had often been misleading making the top administration cut a sorry figure before the people.

Quoting news reports, he said that the Christian workers of Idara-i-Amn-o-Insaaf a charity organization, were shot from point blank range. This was shocking as it only told us how daring the terrorists had become.

The people at large were also constrained to feel that they had fully become hostage to terrorists and that the government had failed to protect their lives and property.

The former Air Marshal regretted the usual trading of allegations between Islamabad and New Delhi and said that both the neighbouring countries should concentrate on fighting terrorism, their common enemy, rather than blaming each other for such acts.

He sympathised with the families of the victims who were engaged in a very noble work of welfare and peace.

The QJP chief demanded a thorough investigation into the tragic act so as to prevent these in future.

PPP: Pakistan People’s Party also condemned the brutal murder of seven members of the Christian community.

“When the regime employs the limited available resources of intelligence and security on promoting its own political agenda the common citizen is bound to be left at the mercy of terrorists and criminals”, a spokesman for the Party said in a statement today.

He said the regime had failed in protecting the life, honour and property of its citizens as was evidenced from the rising incidence of lawlessness and terrorist attacks on innocent citizens throughout the country particularly those belonging to the minority community.

“A regime which can not perform its basic and most important function of protecting the lives of its citizens has no moral, legal or political authority to stay in power”.

The spokesman asked the government to arrest the perpetrators of the crime at the earliest and punish them. He also demanded compensation to the families of those killed and injured in the incident.

“The regime owes it to the people of Pakistan to divert the state’s apparatus from poll rigging and hounding of political opponents to the tracking down of criminals and terrorists”.

CPC: The Citizens Peace Committee also expressed grief and anger at the brutal killings of peace activists at the office of Idara Amn-o-Insaaf (Commission for Peace and Justice).

“Like other sections of the society, the CPC is deeply disappointed with the inability of the law enforcement agencies to perform their primary task of providing security to the citizens.”

In a statement issued here on Thursday the CPC said, “that such a wanton act of killings could happen in broad daylight in the busiest part of the city, and then the killers quietly vanished, speaks volumes about the utter ineptitude of the police, and the intelligence agencies.

“The CPC also notes the religious dimensions of the incident whereby, in the current environment of action against militants, lives of religious minorities have become particularly vulnerable.”

The CPC asked the government to provide additional protection to the vulnerable sections of the society.

“The cruel and targeted killing of seven people in Karachi is a message for those who are working for a progressive change in Pakistan. It is an act by rigid and militant religious elements against secular, liberal and democratic feelings of the whole nation. Unfortunately the mindset developed over the decades still exists, deeply entrenched in the roots of our society. Acts like this undermine any initiatives for creating harmony between religious communities within the country”, the committee said.

ZARDARI: Holding the government responsible of worst law and order, the PPP jailed senator, Asif Ali Zardari condemned attack on Christian charity and expressed deep sorrow and grief over the killing of seven Christians.

Talking to journalists here Thursday, in the premises of an accountability court, after his appearance in BMW reference he expressed sympathies with the families of the victims and hoped that threats cannot discourage minorities from doing good work for the society.

Our Reporter from Pindi adds: The District Nazim, Tariq Kiani condemned the Wednesday terrorist attack in Karachi and urged Muslims and Christians to join hands in the fight against terrorism.

The Nazim while talking to a delegation of the United Christian Forum (UCF), headed by Father Jacob Joseph Dogra, which called on him at his office on Thursday, also ordered the local police to provide foolproof security at all churches of the city.