LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has said terrorism is again rearing its head in the country because of ‘flawed’ policies of Imran Khan.

“I condemn the Lahore blast and pray for the recovery of the injured. Owing to wrong policies of (prime minister) Imran Khan terrorism has again reared its head in the country,” the PML-N leader said in a tweet from London where he has been living since November 2019.

PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz while condemning the blast and grieving over the loss of life, said in a tweet: “Three died and dozens injured in a bomb blast in Lhr today and guess what @ImranKhanPTI is talking about in his propaganda cell meeting? Sharifs! What is next? Blaming the victims for the tragedy.”

“On a day when Lahore mourns and grieves, more of heartlessness & apathy than misplaced priorities,” she said while commenting on uploaded images of PM Khan’s comments on the Sharifs on her Twitter account.

Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz said he shared the grief of those lost their lives and injured. He said it was unfortunate that terrorism was again rearing its head in the country.

PPP senior leader Rehman Malik condemned the terrorist act in Anarkali saying it was typical style of TTP Pakistan & Daesh (the militant Islamic State group). “Kabul must use its influence to ensure to stop the use of Afghan soil against Pakistan,” he said and added that Haji Wali Noor, emir of TTP, and his other hardcore terrorist commanders including Faqeer Mohammad should be handed over to Pakistan without any delay.

“It is in fact another act in Lahore after target killings in Islamabad. This is the new terrorism wave in Pakistan like Kabul. We need to find out terrorist sleeping cells in our country. It is not going to stop and hence we need to resort to practical preventive measures.

We condemn this heinous act and express regrets over the loss of precious lives in the attack and condole with the families,” Malik said.

PPP: The Pakistan Peoples Party has condemned the Anarkali blast and loss of precious lives in the incident.

PPP Punjab president Raja Parvez Ashraf has demanded that the government provide the best possible treatment to those injured in the incident and offer financial aid for the heirs of those who lost their lives.

He said the National Action Plan should be implemented in letter and spirit for containing the wave of extremism and terrorism.

PPP General Secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza visited the injured at the Mayo Hospital and prayed for their early recovery. He expressed his concern over the spread of the terrorism wave as the terrorists hit Lahore after Peshawar and Islamabad.

Former Punjab chapter chief Qamar Zaman Kaira cautioned that if the government did not curtail the wave of terrorism, it would cause irreparable loss to the country.

SACM: Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information and Tourism Hasaan Khawar said it was yet too early to comment on the motives behind the tragic blast at Anarkali.

Expressing deep sympathies with the families of those killed and praying for speedy recovery of the injured, the SACM said the investigation agencies including the Punjab Forensic Science Agency, the Rescue 1122, the Punjab Safe Cities Authority and police are examining every aspect of this tragic incident.

He further said that all the institutions and people of Pakistan were on one page on the issue of national security.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2022