KARACHI, July 13: US Consul General William Martin called on Awami National Party Sindh president Senator Shahi Syed at the Mardan House here on Friday and condemned the bomb blast at the ANP public meeting in Kuchlak, Balochistan.

He lauded the sacrifices that the party had given in its fight against terrorism, said an ANP statement.

It said that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also called Senator Syed and condemned the terrorist attack on the ANP public meeting, the Lahore tragedy as well as targeted killings of ANP supporters in Karachi.

Mr Sharif said that the country was at a critical juncture and everyone would have to adopt a responsible attitude and think for the security of the country. He said that everyone should rise above their political considerations and fight jointly against terrorists.

Meanwhile, the Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan and provincial president Senator Shahi Syed issued a joint statement on Friday condemning the blast in Kuchlak which left several ANP activists, including a local party leader dead on Friday.

They said that terrorists were misusing the name of Islam by killing innocent people.