KARACHI, May 22: The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf have condemned the gun attack on a peaceful rally and extended their full support to the strike call given by the Awami Tehrik for Wednesday in protest against the killings.

In separate statements, both parties criticised the government for its failure to protect the life and property of the people.

Speaking at a press conference at his residence on Tuesday night, Sindh PML-N chief retired justice Ghaus Ali Shah said that firing onunarmed participants in the peaceful rally was a pre-planned conspiracy.

He warned that the division of Sindh would lead to the division of Pakistan and said those who were involved in the conspiracy were not well-wishers of the country. Every child would lay down his life but would not allow the division of Sindh.

Mr Shah, who was accompanied by Salim Zia, Amir Bakhsh Bhutto, Marvi Memon, Irfanullah Marwat and Ismail Rahu, said that the federal and provincial governments had failed to provide security to the people despite the fact that the authorities were well aware of the rally.

In reply to a question, the PML-N provincial chief said there was no need of Sindh division and blamed those seeking its division for firing on the rally.

Responding to another question, he said that his party was reviewing the entire situation before filing a case about the killing of innocent people. The incident required a thorough probe, he said, adding that the party would formulate its future line of action after consultationwith other parties in this regard.

PTI

In a separate statement, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Secretary General Dr Arif Alvi said that all (parties) had the right to carry out political activities but the government instead of providing them due protection had used state machinery to curb the freedom of people.

A volatile situation was being created in the city under a calculated move to attain their political objectives, he said.

Dr Alvi demanded that the Supreme Court take a suo motu notice of the firing on unarmed participants in the rally.

Sindh PTI chief Nadir Akmal Leghari, meanwhile, announced his party’s support to the strike call given by the Awami Tehrik.

ST

“Today’s incident is not security lapse but the outcome of the political interests and black mailing politics,” said Sunni Tehrik chief Mohammad Sarwat Ejaz Qaderi while commenting on the attack on the rally.

He appealed to the Supreme Court to take suo moto notice of the incident and also ensure provision of protection to traders who were fed up with the activities of those involved in money extortion.

Mr Qadri said that forces behind the move to divide Sindh were not hidden from the government and its allies.

If the government had launched indiscriminate action against criminal elements across the city, the situation would have been different today, said the ST leader.

He said lodging peaceful protest was a democrat right of every patriot and providing security was the responsibility of the state.