ISLAMABAD, March 4: The chairman of Pakistan Tehrik Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has condemned the incident of sectarian killings in Quetta in which 47 people had died on the day of Ashura and termed it failure of the government in maintaining law and order.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, the PTI leader expressed his concern over the growing incidents of violence in the country. He said the government had failed to perform its primary duty to protect life, property and honour of its citizens.

"f the government cannot protect life and rights of the people the it looses the moral authority to rule the country any more." He said it appeared that there was a complete breakdown of the law and order in the country, which had aggravated the sense of insecurity among the masses.

A reporter adds: Condemning the sectarian violence, Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC) on Thursday warned of dire consequences in case religion was used for political purposes.

Both state and religio-political parties should be held responsible for the incidents of sectarian killings, it said. There could be nothing noble about such people, whose minds had been poisoned and who blew themselves up to kill innocent people, the PPC members contended.