PESHAWAR, March 28: The Awami National Party took out a procession on Wednesday in protest against Monday’s bomb blast, terming the same an attempt on its leader Syed Aqil Shah’s life.

Former senator and ANP’s provincial information secretary Aqil Shah and three other people were injured in the blast. ANP workers marched from the site of the blast — near the Greens Hotel in Peshawar Cantonment — to the Peshawar Press Club.

They were led by Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Mian Iftikhar Hussain and Imran Afridi. The protesters chanted slogans against the federal and provincial governments for failing to protect life and property.

They demanded the immediate arrest of people involved in the explosion. They staged a sit-in in front of the press club and blocked the road.

Speaking on the occasion, ANP leaders blamed federal and provincial governments for not taking effective measures to control increasing terrorist activities and lawlessness in the country, particularly in the NWFP and the tribal areas. They termed it a conspiracy against the Pakhtuns.

They said Iran had arrested British sailors for violating its territorial waters, while in Pakistan, a large number of Uzbeks and other foreigners were present and running terrorist training camps, but the government was doing nothing against them. Even, they were being sent to Afghanistan after completing training, they alleged.

The ANP leaders accused the MMA provincial government of giving a free hand to extremists to issue threatening letters to school administrations, barbers and music centre owners to encourage Talibanisation in the province.

They said when criminals and terrorists were so bold that they kidnapped a school principal and school children for training then the provincial government had no justification to remain in power.

They said recent bomb blasts and lawlessness in the province had exposed tall claims of the provincial government about law and order.

They urged the provincial government and President Gen Pervez Musharraf to resign and hold fair and transparent elections under an independent election commission within 90 days.