PESHAWAR, March 30: Different political parties and governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have strongly condemned the suicide attack on workers of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl in Swabi which left several people killed and injured.

Reacting to the attack, workers of JUI-F staged a protest demonstration and blocked Sher Shah Suri Road here on Wednesday.

Carrying placards and party flags, the angry protesters were changing slogans against government for its failure to provide security to people.

The protesters were led by JUI-F information secretary and former provincial minister Asif Iqbal Daudzai and district chief Syed Qari Rafiq Shah.

The demonstrators blamed government for its failure to arrange proper security for their leader and party activists. It was a direct attack on JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who narrowly escaped, they said.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Daudzai condemned the attack and held provincial government and security agencies responsible for it.

He said that it was a conspiracy to weaken JUI-F in the province as the party had initiated mass contact campaign and rulers considered it a threat to them.

Mr Shah also lashed out at provincial government, saying it failed to provide protection to masses.

The issues of terrorism, inflation and unemployment were ample proofs of failure of government, he added.

The protesters, through a resolution, asked the federal and provincial governments to admit their failure and step down as they were unable to protect lives and properties of masses.

They condemned the Swabi suicide attack and action by US-led forces against Libya, demanding immediate withdrawal of foreign troops from the country.

The JUI-F will hold protest demonstrations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata on April 1 against the Swabi suicide attack.

Governor Barrister Masood Kausar also strongly condemned suicide attack on the cavalcade of Maulana Fazlur Rehman and expressed shock and sorrow over the loss of precious lives.

He paid rich tributes to the police officer, who sacrificed his life while intercepting the suicide bomber. Expressing sympathies with bereaved families, the governor said that such inhuman acts would further strengthen courage of people and government in their struggle against terrorism.

He said that they would not sit idle till restoration of complete peace and normalisation of society.

Mr Kausar also prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and courage to the bereaved families to bear the irreparable loss with patience. He also wished early recovery of injured.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-i-Islami central chief Munawar Hassan also condemned the attack on workers of JUI-F and termed it a cowardice act.

In a statement issued here from the JI office, he said that Islam was religion of peace and those carrying out such attacks had no link with Islam.

He said that it was a conspiracy of anti-Pakistan elements to destabilise it. He said the government failed to protect lives and properties of people.

Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party has also condemned the suicide attack and killing of innocent people.

The PMAP, in a statement, appealed to all the religious parties to adopt a clear policy against terrorists.

Asad Qaiser, provincial president of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf, has also condemned the suicide attack on JUI-F workers and termed it inhuman, un-Islamic and immoral act.

He alleged that Indian and American agents were behind such blasts as they wanted to destabilise Pakistan.