PESHAWAR, Oct 19: Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Saleem Saifullah Khan has rejected allegations that the government was behind the bombings on the PPP motorcade in Karachi.

In a handout issued here on Friday, the minister termed such statements as ‘irresponsible and irrational’ and claimed that stopping suicide attacks was next to impossible. He added that the government had provided maximum security to the procession.

He said that many high-level government figures had also narrowly escaped suicide attacks in the past.

Mr Khan condemned the Karachi bombings and said it had tarnished the image of Pakistan and Islam.

The killings of innocent people are the handiwork of devious and criminal minds to derail the democratic process, he said.

The minister said the unfortunate incident was not going to affect the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) and added that the government would abide by the ruling of the apex court regarding it.

Mr Khan said Nawaz Sharif’s return would not bring any upheaval in Pakistani politics but insisted that he should abide by the agreement made with the government.

He rejected the impression that there were differences among federal ministers regarding the composition of the caretaker cabinet in the NWFP.