PESHAWAR: The political leaders have strongly condemned suicide attack at the office of National Database and Registration Authority in Mardan on Tuesday and expressed sympathies with the affected families.

An official statement said that Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan condemned the suicide bomb blast and expressed his deep shock and sorrow over the loss of precious lives.

He expressed heartfelt sympathies with the members of the bereaved families and injured. He said that innocent people would not be left at the mercy of terrorists and termed the blast a cowardly act.

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The governor said that such attacks could not deter the national resolve to eliminate the wave of militancy and menace of terrorism. In fact it was very tragic incident and every wise and knowledgeable citizen was shocked over it, he added.

The governor said that the whole nation was grieved over the tragedy and it must be condemned in the strongest terms. He said that those, who played with the innocent lives, deserved no leniency. They would be brought to justice at any cost, he said.

He also prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and courage to the bereaved families to bear the irreparable loss with patience. He also wished early recovery of the injured people.

Awami National Party president Asfandyar Wali Khan said that terrorists carried out such brutal attacks to achieve their nefarious designs.

He said that political, religious and military leaders of the country were on the same page against terrorism.

He said that terrorists could not terrify innocent citizens by detonating bombs at public places.

Awami National Party central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain and provincial president Ameer Haider Khan Hoti also condemned the attack. “Such attacks will continue until National Action Plan is implemented in letter and spirit,” said Mian Iftikhar in a separate statement.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf provincial organiser Fazal Mohammad Khan also condemned the suicide attack in Mardan and directed party workers to cancel firework at Bagh-i-Naran Peshawar.

Jamaat-i-Islami chief Senator Sirajul Haq reacting to the killing of people in Mardan said that anti-state elements were reorganising and carrying out barbaric activities.

In a statement, the Jamaat-i-Islami chief said that involvement of foreign hand in the incident could not be ruled out.

He prayed for the departed souls and expressed solidarity with the bereaved families.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2015