October 20, 2007	Saturday	Shawwal 7, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Oct 19: The government offered on Friday to convene an all-party conference (APC) to work out a plan to combat the menace of terrorism. Addressing a news conference, Minister for Information Muhammad Ali Durrani said that the APC could succeed only if all political parties attended it.

Condemning the Karachi bomb blasts, he said: “The menace of terrorism is a challenge for the whole nation and it could be met if all the political parties and members of civil society joined hands”.

He said that acts of terrorism would not derail the process of transition to democracy through general elections.

The minister said that the government had decided to formulate a programme for political gatherings during the election under a security plan prepared by the law-enforcement agencies. A code of conduct would also be prepared in consultation with all the parties, he added.

Answering a question about allegations levelled by a Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader that agencies were involved in the Karachi blasts, the minister said: “This is not the time for scoring points and if anyone has any proof he should demonstrate courage and share it with the government”.

Mr Durrani said that if Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto knew the names of persons involved in the Karachi attack, she should also share the information with security agencies.

The minister told a questioner that the entire nation was the complainant in the terrorist attack and anyone having some facts about the incident should come forward and inform the government.