ISLAMABAD, April 18: Political parties have condemned the assassination of Hamas leader Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi and his son by Israel. In a statement on Sunday , the information secretary of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, Senator Tariq Azeem, said: "We strongly condemned the barbaric act of Israel which resulted in the killing of Hamas leader."

He criticized the use of force by Israel against the innocent Palestinians and urged that the issue be resolved through dialogue instead of force. Senator Azeem was of the view that no problem in the world, whether it is Palestine or Kashmir, could be resolved through use of force, adding such matters could only be tackled politically.

He said Israel was against peace in the region and it had made its intentions clear by first killing Sheikh Ahmed Yasin and now Rantissi. The party's information secretary called on all peace-loving nations to join them in condemning such acts of state terrorism, committed in the name of self security.

MMA: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal leader Mian Mohammad Aslam has expressed sorrow and grief over the killing of Hamas leader Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi. He termed Rantissi's assassination as a brutal act. In a statement, he said the murder of Hamas leader had deprived the Muslim world of a great religious scholar, political leader and pragmatic Mujahid.