ISLAMABAD- Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah has questioned the tall claims of interior ministry, about foolproof security arrangements after Islamabad Sabzi Mandi blast. It left 22 people dead, besides leaving score of others injured.
Talking to journalists at the Parliament House today, Khurshid Shah said that Sabzi Mandi blast shattered claims of the authorities and put a big question mark on the performance of the security agencies. Expressing his deep grief over the loss of precious lives in the blast and sympathies with the bereaved families besides offering prayers for the early recovery of the wounded people, he said that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) denied its involvement in the carnage but it must be traced out which group or elements are involved in the massacre. The opposition leader said that peace talks were important for restoration of peace but one could not draw desired results until the militants involved in sabotaging the peace process were exposed.
Khurshid Shah advised Interior Minister to look into the reports of secret agencies, concentrate over improving law and order situation by improving performance of the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) instead of making verbal claims of all is well. He alleged that hue and cry of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) over Protection of Pakistan Bill was meant for political point scoring only as both political parties have nothing to do with interest of the country and the masses.
Responding a question, he said that federal government is responsible for creating problems between the state and its organization with reference to the former President Pervez Musharraf high treason trial. Syed Khurshid Shah said that the Army Chief General Raheel Sharif poses no threat to the Sharif brothers. Those judges should also be held accountable who had allowed Musharraf to bring amendments in the constitution, he added. He claimed that the military also thinks that a fair trial should be held against Musharraf.
Meanwhile, another member of the opposition in NA belonging to PTI, Asad Umar said that Islamabad fruit market blast was the second terror incident in a few weeks, which amply proves that the government has failed to protect the lives and property of the people. He said that if such a great human loss in the capital city was not a security lapse, then what else? He said it was the plot of those who do not
want to see the talks ending on positive note.