KARACHI, Aug 8: The bomb attack in SITE area on Sunday has been widely condemned by political leaders who described it a conspiracy against the province and the country.
Opposition leader in the National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rehman, said that the act of terrorism was aimed at destabilizing the country and spreading panic among those busy teaching and learning at madressahs.
Those involved in such activities, he added, wanted to stop madressah people from preaching the religion and working for the glory of Islam, he said during a telephone call from London.
"Such acts of terrorism cannot deter us from preaching and promoting Islam," he declared. Observing that the Ummah was a target of terrorism world over, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the latest incident was an evidence of the fact.
The series of bomb attacks against Islamic institutions and scholars refuted the allegation that Muslims were terrorists. Rather, he added, Muslims appeared victims of terrorism.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement, expressing its grief and sorrow over the loss of many lives in the attack, said it was a conspiracy to destroy peace in Sindh, particularly in Karachi.
In a statement, the MQM Coordination Committee noted that Karachi had been target of repeated acts of terrorism. It said that those involved in such acts were enemies of peace.
It urged President Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad and Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim to ensure immediate arrest of the culprits of Sunday's bomb blasts.
Maulana Umar Sadiq, parliamentary leader of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal in Sindh Assembly, described the attack as part of the international conspiracy, hatched by Western and secular powers. They had resorted to similar activities in the past to malign Islam, as well as Islamic institutions and scholars, he added.
Talking to Dawn by phone while visiting the scene of the incident in SITE, the MMA leader said the bombing was aimed against Islam and should not be given a colour of sectarian violence.
"Today's attack might not have occurred had the government taken notice of such attacks in the past and taken the culprits to task by handing them exemplary punishment," he observed.
Amir of Jamaat-i-Islami, Karachi, Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui expressed his shock over the loss of precious lives in the bomb blast. He regretted that the government had failed in controlling any type of crime.
MMA legislators Muhammad Hussain Mehanti, Abdul Sattar Afghani, Muhammad Laeeq Khan, Nasrullah Shaji, Hameedullah Khan, Muhammad Yunus Barai and others also condemned the attack and demanded that the government, conceding its failure in containing terrorism, should step down.
