Lahore, Feb 13: The Awami Workers Party (AWP) expresses grief over the loss of 16 lives in yet another terrorist attack in Lahore.The AWP Spokesperson Farooq Tariq in a statement here on Monday expressed heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and those wounded in the terrorist attack.
The AWP spokesperson, Farooq Tariq, in a statement here on Monday expressed heartfelt condolences with the families of those who lost their lives and those wounded in the terrorist attack.
He condemned the federal and Punjab governments as well as the law enforcement agencies for failing to foil the terrorist attack despite forewarning from the intelligence agencies.
At least 16 people including six police officers were killed and over 80 others injured in a suicide explosion at a chairing cross outside Punjab Assembly, the most secured area in Lahore on Monday evening when DIG Mobin Ahmed and other police officers were busy in negotiations with over 400 chemists who were protesting nearby against a new regulatory law.
Jamaatul Ahrar (JA), a faction of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has claimed responsibility for the attack. The group previously claimed responsibility for the March 2016 Easter bombing at Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park in Lahore, which killed over 70 people.
Farooq demanded adequate financial and medical assistance to the victims.
The AWP spokesperson criticised the law enforcement and security agencies for failing to protect the people as it was the second major terrorist attack in a month’s time this year. Over 20 people were killed and over 50 others wounded in a vegetable market blast in Parachinar, Kurram Agency, on January 21, 2017.
Farooq said the security agencies have miserably failed to eliminate terrorism despite spending billions of rupees on Zarb-e-Azb. Over 70,000 people including young military and police officers have been killed in terrorist attacks.
“The civil and military leadership every now and then claim that the backbone of the terrorists has been broken but they still strike wherever and whenever they want every month,” the AWP spokesperson questioned.
He criticised the federal as well as the Punjab governments for resisting action against some extremist sectarian outfits which have links with terrorist outfits who are responsible for such dastardly acts. “Terrorism cannot be eliminated completely if action against the nurseries and safe sanctuaries of terrorists is not taken throughout the country”, he said.
Farooq said while the Rangers and police are quick enough to take action against peasants and Leftist and nationalist political workers why they are hesitant to weed out terrorists.
The strategy to combat terrorism needs to be changed, he stressed. A vigilant eye should be kept on religious seminaries and their syllabus should be changed.
He demanded action against all proscribed terrorist and sectarian outfits throughout the country.
He also demanded an overhaul of Pakistan’s foreign and security policies.