LAHORE, April 25: The chief minister has absolved the Punjab government of protecting Railways installations, saying since it is part of the federal institution, the security of the Lahore railway station is Islamabad’s responsibility.

His remarks came in the wake of a blast at the city railway station on Tuesday evening which claimed four passengers and injured 60 others.

“The railway station is part of the federal setup and the federal government is responsible for its security,” Shahbaz told reporters at the police training school ceremony here on Wednesday.

He said surveillance cameras installed at the railway station were dysfunctional.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which rules Islamabad, blames the Punjab government for the explosion.

“The dreadful explosion occurred owing to the failure of the Punjab government,” Punjab PPP information secretary Raja Aamir Khan said in a statement.

Aamir held the provincial government responsible for “the lack of proper security plan and dysfunctional cameras as well as lack of security staff at the station.”

He would not take calls on his cell phone when this reporter tried to know what law obliged the provincial government to install its security apparatus at a federal government property.

A senior colleague, however, commented that the provincial government should also accept its responsibility as explosives passed through its territory to reach the railway station.

The chief minister said justice could be manipulated in the country and that terrorists exploited this situation to their advantage.

He said that “to combat the war against terror, latest equipment and technical manpower are more important than more recruitment in the police force”.

He said terrorism stemmed from poverty hence the challenge of terrorism could be countered through promotion of social and economic justice and removal of disparity between the rich and the poor.

He said the aim of setting up a safe and peaceful society could not be achieved without an alert and vibrant police force.