KARACHI, April 19: Leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction over the pace of investigations in the April 11 bomb blast at Nishtar Park and accused Gen Pervez Musharraf of influencing the process.

“Gen Musharraf is leading the investigations by terming the blast a sectarian act and suicide bombing, despite the fact that no investigating agencies or bomb experts have given him their reports,” said Mr Khuhro while commenting on the post-blast situation.

Instead of constituting a judicial commission, bringing culprits to justice, and taking serious actions against the lethargic and incompetent government of Sindh, the general had taken steps to protect the government, alleged Mr Khuhro. He claimed that the ongoing investigations would also meet the same fate as such inquiries had always met in the past.

He claimed that in such a situation, “the logical conclusion one will draw is that by protecting those who should be axed, he (Musharraf) is a partner in the crime.”

He was of the view that Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Rahim had put Gen Musharraf to the fore by shifting the responsibility of taking action against the MQM to the general.

He said that Dr Arbab was also not a ‘free agent’ and his helplessness was evident form his remarks that home ministry had not been given to him. Therefore, Mr Khuhro claimed, the final authority was not with the chief minister and the strings were pulled from elsewhere.

He said that the PPP had on Tuesday submitted a requisition for the assembly session in order to get the debate on Nishtar Park tragedy in the house continued. He pointed out that the debate had remained inconclusive because the governor had prorogued the session on Monday. He said that 53 members had signed the new requisition.

The leader claimed that since the provincial minister for local bodies was evasive of a reply to the question of katchi abadis’ demolition in the province, the PPP would like to agitate on the issue in the requisitioned session.