ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has condemned the reported killing of women and children in an air strike on a madressah in Bajaur on Monday morning and sought probe into the incident by a parliamentary body.

In a statement here on Wednesday, she said the PPP was opposed to Talibinisation as well as terrorism, however, reports that in fact the targets were not terrorists but innocent people needed to be probed independently.

She said that it was incomprehensible why Islamabad was failing to investigate reports of mass killings of its citizens. She said it was important to separate the citizens from the terrorists as winning the war against terrorism also involved winning the hearts and minds of people.

Ms Bhutto appealed to the people of the tribal areas to isolate the terrorists who were posing a danger to the well being of Pakistan.

She said the recent Bajaur incident had deepened the view that the present regime is unable to deal effectively with the terrorist and the innocent citizens are paying a heavy price.

“It has reinforced the view that only a democratic government with roots amongst the people can restore peace to the area.”