LAHORE, July 17: MMA president Qazi Hussain Ahmad has asked president Musharraf to quit to “save the country from civil war.” Condemning bomb blast at the lawyers’ convention in Islamabad, he said only those people could be behind the act who wanted to avoid elections and impose emergency in the country. He said the bombing was aimed at sabotaging the lawyer’s movement in support of the chief justice of Pakistan besides harassing opposition.

“It has taken place at a time when the full court is going to decide the fate of presidential reference against the CJP,” he added.

Expressing shock at the death of some PPP workers in the blast, Punjab PPP president Shah Mahmood Qureshi said it (the bomb blast) was aimed at derailing struggle for the true restoration of democracy in the country.

Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith leaders Senator Sajid Mir held Gen Musharraf responsible. He said the explosion was also an attempt to divert the public attention from the Lal Masjid operation.

CM: Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi expressed deep sense of sorrow and grief and described it a cowardly act.

He said that elements involved in bomb attacks were not only enemies of the nation but of the whole humanity. He said that such incidents were highly condemnable.

The chief minister expressed his condolences with the bereaved families and prayed for the early recovery of the injured.