LAHORE, Feb 18: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Nawaz Sharif has condemned the killing of over 80 people in Quetta, terming the incident a result of failure of the government and secret agencies.

In a statement issued on Monday, Nawaz said the tragic incident had proved once again there was no government in Balochistan and the federal government had also failed to fulfill its responsibilities.

He regretted the government had neither given any importance to human lives nor taken the issue of law and order seriously during the last five years. Despite clear directions of the Supreme Court, he said, the government made no serious effort to deal with criminals and curb killings.

The PML-N chief said the Hazara community was continuously facing terrorism and the government was not fulfilling its responsibility of protecting the life and property of people. He said it was also failure of the secret agencies as they were unable to locate the network of those committing such heinous acts.

Praying for the departed souls of Saturday’s blast in Quetta, he assured the Hazara community of every possible help and support by his party.

He demanded the government give top priority to arresting the culprits and ensuring protection of the community facing continuous terrorism.

JI Chief: Condemning Quetta carnage, Jamaat-i-Islami chief Syed Munawwar Hasan termed the fresh wave of terrorism a bid to derail democracy and put off general election in the country.

In a statement on Monday, he said the situation called for a complete unity among all political and religious parties on one point agenda to foil conspiracies to delay the elections.

He said the MQM decision to sit on the opposition benches was a move having President Zardari’s blessings, and a trick to have caretaker set-up of their choice.

He said after the earlier Quetta carnage on Jan 10, it was the responsibility of the security agencies not only to track down the culprits but also to take measures to prevent recurrence of such attacks.

“The failure of agencies in this task provided anti-state elements with another opportunity to strike again,” he added.

The JI amir said the incidents of target killings and setting ablaze petrol pumps, markets and vehicles in Karachi were also aimed at spreading panic and harassment and to sabotage the elections because the ruling party was terribly upset over the idea of a defeat in elections followed by accountability for their corruption running into billions.