KARACHI, Oct 3: Leaders of various political parties, religious groups and civil society organisations have condemned the Thursday suicide bombing in Charsadda which left several people dead and injured. They thanked Almighty Allah that the Awami National Party leader, Asfandyar Wali Khan, who was the target of the attack, escaped unhurt in the blast.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, members of the Sindh cabinet, MQM chief Altaf Hussain and the provincial leadership of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Awami National Party (ANP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Jamaat-i-Islami, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI), different factions of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan and Pakistan Muslim League, Sunni Tehrik (ST) and NGOs issued statements soon after the incident to condemn the suicide bombing and death of innocent people in the attack.

Governor Dr Ibad, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, MQM chief Altaf Hussain and City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal described the attack as “a cowardly act” and said the culprits would not go unpunished.

Sindh Minister for Labour Amir Nawab said ANP could not be cowed by such attacks.

The ANP would continue to support democratic forces and work for the cause of democracy, he added.

He said all those behind the attack would be arrested and given exemplary punishment.

President of the ANP, Sindh, Shahi Syed and Secretary Amin Khatak termed the incident “an attack on Pakhtuns”, and said such attacks could not harass ANP leaders and workers.

They reiterated their party’s resolve to continue the struggle against terrorism “till the last drop of blood”.

They noted that ANP leaders in Bajaur and Waziristan were being targeted for resisting terrorists’ ulterior motives and working for the unity of Pakhtuns.

Leader of the House in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani, Advisers to the Sindh CM Rashid Rabbani, Waqar Mehdi and other PPP leaders said that such terrorist attacks could not weaken the government’s resolve to establish complete peace in and eliminate terrorism from the country. The terrorist elements would be crushed with the help of the masses, they said in a joint statement.

A large number of Sindh-based political and religious leaders talked to Asfandyar Wali Khan by telephone and inquired about his wellbeing soon after the suicide bombing.—Agencies