Parties blast govt for security lapse, incompetence

LAHORE - Major opposition parties have condemned terrorist attack on Sri Lankan cricket team, terming it a major security lapse and proof of incompetence of the Punjab administration. The leadership believes that the government should have taken concrete measures to fulfill its commitment of providing foolproof security to the visiting team, but instead it indulged in other matters that resulted into a major security lapse. Expressing sympathy and solidarity with Sri Lankan players, the PML-N President Mian Shahbaz Sharif said that the incident happened due to incompetence and the negligence of present administration. He said that Governor Salman Taseer has miserably failed to handle the situation. He said it was the responsibility of the administration to ensure proper security of the visiting team. He said all the administration was busy to stop the PML-N rallies and meetings. Governor Punjab and administration was using all resources in horse-trading and other anti-people activities and completely ignored provision of foolproof security to the visiting team that ultimately resulted in the tragic incident. He said the terrorist attack has seriously damaged image of Pakistan in world community. PML-N demands thorough probe and an early arrest of terrorists involved in the attack, he added. Condemning attack on the visiting cricket team, Ameer Jamat-e-Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmed termed it a conspiracy to destabilise Pakistan. He said involvement of India in Mumbai like attack could not be ruled out. Governor Salman Taseer should accept his failure and tender resignation. He said the Punjab government made major reshuffle in administration and police and used agencies for putting pressure on MPAs to get their support, that ultimately resulted in a drastic security lapse. Terming the attack more serious than the Mumbai incident, Qazi said RAW could be involved in the incident as part of its strategy to weaken and isolate Pakistan from the world. Terming the attack as the worst incident in history of the country, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan said it was shameful that the government did not fulfilled its commitment of providing foolproof security to Sri Lankan players. He said it was a pity that the visiting team was not provided security even that of the level of ministers. He said that involvement of foreign hands in the terrorist attack could not be ruled out. He said that the tragic incident has darken the future of cricket in Pakistan. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Chief Senator Maulana Sami-ul-Haq said that terrorist attack on Sri Lankan team was conspiracy of anti-Pakistan intelligence agencies to destabilise the country. Naib Ameer JI Liaquat Baloch said the purpose of attack on Sri Lankan team was to provide excuse to enemies to wage war against Pakistan after declaring it a terrorist state. Condemning the terrorist attack, he said involvement of foreign hand could not be ruled out as the enemies were making efforts to destabilise Pakistan. Officiating Ameer Jamat-ud-Dawa Hafiz Abdul Salam has termed the terrorist attack on Sri Lankan team a conspiracy to destabilise Pakistan. He said terrorist incidents happened in the past but the government avoided to award exemplary punishment to RAW agents in the hope to have friendly relations with India. He urged the government to take serious notice of the attack and unveil foreign hands involved in the heinous crime.

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