LAHORE, Oct 7: Leaders of various national parties have condemned the carnage in Multan and termed it a failure of the government and law enforcement agencies.

MMA president Qazi Husain Ahmad said the terrorist acts in Sialkot and Multan were aimed at destabilizing the country and damaging sectarian harmony.

He alleged that the incidents were designed to provide an excuse to the military ruler to extend his rule on the pretext of law and order situation. He wondered that the secret agencies consuming millions of rupees were doing nothing to establish peace and were instead being used to harass political opponents of the government.

PPP former secretary-general Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar said it seemed that there was no government in the province. He regretted that despite such a huge death toll in the Sialkot blast neither the prime minister nor the chief minister bothered to visit the area and condole with the bereaved families.

He did not expect that the officials would visit Multan too. Mr Mukhtar said all agencies were engaged in protecting high command of the ruling elite while leaving citizens at the mercy of terrorists.

Party's Federal Council chief Khalid Kharal said two terror incidents within a short span of time in which over 80 people were killed spoke volumes for the law and order situation in the country, especially the Punjab.

He said the provincial government had completely failed as agencies were chasing politicians instead of penetrating into terror networks.