ISLAMABAD, Sept 27: Secretary Interior Syed Kamal Shah on Saturday taking the responsibility of Marriott blast said it was the result of a security lapse.

Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Interior chaired by Senator Talah Mehmood, Mr Shah said the intelligence agencies had informed about a possible suicide blast at Parliament House or in Red Zone area and “so we focused all our resources there.”

However, the bomber in utter desperation after failing to enter the red zone attacked the Marriott Hotel, he said, clarifying that Marriott hotel was not the target. However, further investigation into the incident was underway.

Mr Shah said that the investigation teams had also taken burnt material from different rooms of the Marriott to determine how the fire spread to other parts of the building.

Speaking at the meeting Senator Liaqat Bangalzai said that advisor to prime minister on interior Rehman Malik should accept the responsibility of the blast and step down.

Senator Tariq Azeem recommended that the time had come to set up a special security force to cope with the suicide attacks.

Earlier, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Capital Development Authority (CDA), Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and Capital police shifted the responsibility on each other.

Director General Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Tariq Pervaiz told the committee that a blue 10-wheeler dumper was used in the blast, but its owner was yet to be traced and identified.

He said the explosive material used in the blast was similar to those used in the attack on Danish embassy, GHQ, Rawalpindi, Ojri Camp and FIA building in Lahore.

He further said the investigation into the blast had revealed that the bomb was prepared by some professionals and no ordinary operative could have done so. “For the very purpose we are looking for the masterminds and other perpetrators involved in the tragic incident,” he added.

Mr Pervaiz informed the Committee that 72 suicide blasts have taken place since 2007, adding that the enforcement agencies had arrested some 44 terrorists, including the leader of a banned organization and recovered 800 kilograms explosives during last four months.

He said that the country was in the state of red-alert after the incident. Chairman NDMA Gen (retired) Farooq Ahmed told the Committee that the authority was not supposed to deal with the disasters. However, it is an institution working directly under the Prime Minister to implement disaster related policies.

He said the responsibility of disaster management lied with district administrations and local governments. He said search and rescue teams were immediately called in from Karachi to conduct operation in Marriott after the blasts, and unfortunately there were no such teams in the capital.

Under the law city administration has to maintain law and order, rescue activities and fire brigade system, he said, adding that there should be proper accountability system and political will to avert such incident in future.

During meeting the CDA was criticised for its delayed response to the emergency situation caused by the blast.

CDA’s member Hassan Munir told the meeting that the authority had placed orders for the purchase of 36 fire brigades; worth Rs600 million in 2006, but the company has so far supplied only 19, although the deadline was June 2008.

The committee’s chairman asked the CDA to take strict action against the company.

Director municipal administration, CDA Momin Aga told the meeting that the authority had no skilled fire fighters, due to ban on recruitment. In reply the chairman said the authority recruited workers on daily basis, but imposed ban on permanent employment. he committee directed the CDA to upgrade its fire brigade system and coordinate with the ministry of interior for establishment of a well-equipped disaster management system in Islamabad.

Chief Commissioner Islamabad Hamid Ali Khan told the meeting the administration took all the security measures to avert any untoward incident.

The committee recommended that the parliamentarians and local representatives must be given participation in the high level forums to get their feedback and recommendations for policy-making.

The committee recommended to the interior minister to install vigilance cameras at all entry and exit points of the Federal Capital as well as the hotels located in the city.

The committee formed a two-member committee to coordinate with NDMA and CDA and other institutions to make recommendations for setting up a proper disaster management system across the country.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the sub-committee of Senate functional committee on government assurances was held under the convenorship of Senator Chaudhry Mohammad Anwar Bhinder to examine the proposal of the ministry of health for construction of new vertical hospital in Argentina Park.

In view of the discussions the sub-committee was of the view that the capital was in dire need of a modern and well equipped hospital to cater to the needs of he people as the other hospitals of the capital were facing problems like increase in he number of patients due to urbanization.

The committee directed the CDA to allocate a plot for the construction of a full-fledged hospital in the capital in consultation with the ministry of health.

The committee was given a detailed appraisal of various options by the ministry of health and the CDA. However, it directed the CDA to submit a detailed report within 40 days so that the committee could finalise its recommendations for further consideration and necessary action.