LAHORE, April 12: The suicide attack at a religious gathering in Karachi, killing at least 50 people, demonstrates that the militant violence is an enormous threat to Pakistanis.

This was stated in a press release issued by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan here on Wednesday.

It said the HRCP condemned the attack in the strongest terms and extended its heartfelt condolences to families of all those killed in the ghastly incident.

The HRCP urged authorities to take steps to ensure law and order in Karachi and that there was no flare up in the city during funerals of the dead.

It said the blast also proved that authorities had failed completely in their responsibility of safeguarding lives of the people and battling terrorism. The reason for this is obvious.

Clerics were given a free hand to spread hatred through FM radios in some parts of the NWFP. Threats were being made to lives of those opposing extremism in the province.

It said that only a few days ago religious zealots were permitted to gather in Islamabad and distribute anti-Shia and anti-West pamphlets and compact discs (CDs).

The HRCP reiterated its view that mere policing and reliance on inaccurate information often provided by intelligence agencies could do nothing to combat militancy. More and more fanatics, willing to give up their lives for a cause they had been brainwashed into, roamed streets of cities and towns across the country. It said nothing had been done to rehabilitate or re-educate these recruits of religious groups.

Until holistic policies, addressing the root cause of terrorism, including economic desperation, were addressed and official connivance for extremist forces eliminated, more lives would be needlessly lost and more sights of mayhem seen, it added.