LAHORE, Oct 6: Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Iqbal Khan and Senior Minister Raja Riaz have condemned the suicide bombing at the residence of MNA Rashid Akbar Nawani in Bhakkar.

In a statement issued here on Monday, Nawaz Sharif said every patriotic citizen should condemn the cowardly acts of anti-social elements who were playing with the lives of innocent citizens and disrupting the law and order situation for the fulfillment of their nefarious designs.

Condemning the suicide attack and expressing sympathies with the victims, Rana Iqbal said it was the outcome of a heinous conspiracy against humanity. Those responsible for it required to be awarded exemplary punishment, he said.

Raja Riaz said the attack was a cowardly act of the enemies of democracy and Pakistan. The government would continue fighting the menace of terrorism till it was eliminated.

Qazi: Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Qazi Husain Ahmed has said that foreign agents and enemies of Pakistan were trying to disrupt law and order in the country to justify takeover of its nuclear programme.

Condemning the suicide bombing at the residence of MNA Rashid Akbar Nuwani at Bhakkar, he said India was behind the acts of terrorism in Pakistan and it was backed by US.

Security agencies had evidence of involvement of foreign powers in suicide attacks but the people were not being taken into confidence.

He said all the political parties should evolve a joint strategy to counter suicide attacks.