Condemning the incident, Taseer said a new mode of attacking mosques by terrorists had emerged, especially targeting religious leaders. This shameful policy of terrorists had left no doubt in establishing the fact that they had nothing to do with Islam and Shariah.

He paid rich tributes to the late Sarfraz Naeemi and said he was humane and known as a proponent of peace. He was respected by followers of all schools of thought and continued to stick to his stance till his death that suicide attacks are not allowed in Islam.

He said the real faces of terrorists had been exposed to people, and they would not be able to seek refuge anywhere.

PML-Q President Shujaat Husain and former chief minister Pervaiz Elahi expressed their concern over the killing of Dr Naeemi, stressing the need for providing foolproof security to the leaders on hit list of terrorists. They termed the killing of Dr Naeemi a national loss.

Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan and others expressed their grief and sorrow over the killing of Dr Naeemi and others in Lahore and Nowshera.

Imran Khan urged the government to review its pro-American policies, and protect the lives and property of people.

Jamaatud Dawa Amir Hafiz Saeed, expressing his grief over the killing of Dr Naeemi and others, said Indian agency RAW and other foreign agencies were trying to fan sectarianism in the country.

In a statement, he said after the NWFP, Punjab too had been targeted. The government must not show any weakness over the suicide bombing and other acts of terrorism. There was a need to expose Indian terrorism to the world, he said.

Opposition in the Punjab Assembly held a meeting with its leader, PML-Q’s Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, to condemn the killing. It expressed concern over what it maintained deteriorating law and order, reduced trade activity and violation of human rights in Punjab.

The meeting alleged that despite prior warnings, the provincial government did not take measures to avert terrorist activities. It expressed grief over the killing of Dr Naeemi and others.

JUP leaders Dr Muhammad Zubair and Qari Zawar Bahadur also condemned the killing of Dr Naeemi and others. They said their killing was a conspiracy to engage peaceful Ahle Sunnat people in the spate of terrorism, turning the country into a ball of fire and endangering its security.

They alleged that America, India and Israel were conspiring to break the country. The war against terrorism related to America and not Pakistan. Therefore, the rulers should disengage the country from it.

They appealed to Ahle Sunnat people to remain peaceful, and stressed the need for jointly fighting against those conspiring against Islam and Pakistan.

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif visited the mortuary where the body of Dr Naeemi had been placed and said he had been deprived of a loving brother.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said Maulana Naeemi was a leading religious scholar who played an important role for the promotion of religious brotherhood and harmony between the followers of different schools of thought. He said his services for the promotion of religious teachings would long be remembered.

Jamaat-i-Islami amir Munawar Hasan, secretary-general Liaquat Baloch and former amir Qazi Husain Ahmad said Dr Naeemi was an eminent scholar who had dedicated his life for the propagation of Islam.