LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has demanded disbanding of militant wings of all political parties.

It also condemned the bomb blast outside a worship place in Karachi.

Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed called PTI core committee member Chaudhry Sarwar at his office on Friday and discussed the political situation as well as party matters including the local elections scheduled for September this year.

Mr Sarwar said the militant wing of any political party could be a serious threat to democracy. He said all political parties should shunt out the criminal elements from their ranks voluntarily and focus more on public service.

PTI Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry, general secretary Dr Yasmin Rashid, information secretary Andleeb Abbas and others condemned the blast outside a mosque in Karachi and expressed grief over the death of innocent people.

Praying for the fast recovery of the injured, the PTI leaders observed that the Sindh government had failed to protect the life and property of people. They demanded that the Sindh government should take all possible measures to apprehend the culprits.

At another place, PTI Lahore President Abdul Aleem Khan has said MQM chief Altaf Husain has betrayed the trust the common man had reposed in him and must face consequences.

He also chaired another party meeting and discussed issues regarding local elections.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry along with a party delegation visited the Christ and Catholic churches as well as the houses of those killed in suicide blasts in Youhanabad.

The PTI delegation met Christian religious and local leadership and demanded the government should announce national awards for those who laid their lives and did not let the suicide bombers enter the churches. He demanded that the government should pay at least Rs2 million to the bereaved family of each killed in the terrorist attack.

Talking to media persons, Mr Chaudhry said attack on churches was highly condemnable.

He lauded a party worker, Zahid Yousaf alias Goga, who laid his life while stopping a militant at the gate of a church and saved many lives. He also criticised the role of police as those deployed at churches were not vigilant besides its failure in saving two Muslims from being lynched by an angry mob.

The PTI leader regretted that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who was elected from this constituency including Youhanabad, had yet not visited the place of terrorist attacks. He should have reached the constituency immediately and support the families of the victims and the injured financially.

He said the party would continue its struggle for the sanctity of the votes and continue to hold protests and sit-ins. He said the PTI had also supported military courts for the elimination of terrorism from the country.

Mr Chaudhry said he would also visit the bereaved family of Hafiz Naeem, who was lynched by the mob, on Saturday (today).

Published in Dawn March 21st , 2015

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