May 17, 2007	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 29, 1428

SWABI, May 16: Leaders of various political parties alleged on Wednesday that Tuesday’s suicide attack in Peshawar had been carried out to divert the attention of people form the Karachi killings.

Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf provincial vice-president Asad Qaisar said that frequent blasts had left the citizens of Peshawar in a state of fear, which would harm trade activities in the NWFP.

Jamaat-i-Islami MNA Mohammad Usman said a conspiracy had been hatched against the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.

Awami National Party district chief Rehmanullah said the war on terror being fought on Pukhtun soil had harmed the community. “It’s a conspiracy against the Pukhtuns. They are the victims of the government’s wrong policies,” he said.

Yousafzai Goods Association president Fazal Anwar stressed the need for collective efforts to counter the threats to the country.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam leader Hussian Ahmad, Swabi Bar Association president Iftikhar Mohammad, general secretary Changiz Khan, former district nazim Jehanzeb Khan, former naib nazim Mohammad Jamil and People’s Lawyers’ Forum president Javid Inqalabi also condemned the blast and called for speedy investigations to unveil the facts.