Pakistan govt to be blamed for blasts: Opposition

Islamabad, Oct 20 (UNI) Expressing shock and grief over Thursday's blasts in PPP's procession, Pakistan opposition parties have blamed the government for security lapses.

Most of the opposition leaders backed former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's allegations on the role of intelligence agencies in the attack and said there were elements sympathetic to extremists, Daily Times reported.

Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal's president Qazi Husain Ahmad said the attack on the procession was aimed at warning political parties against pursuing the goal of democracy.

Expressing condolences over the deaths of PPP workers and policemen, he announced that his party would observe three-day mourning to express solidarity with the PPP.

MMA's secretary-general Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the government had failed to protect the lives of innocent people and called for a judicial probe.

Pakistan Tehrik-i-Istiqlal President Asghar Khan said the attack was the culmination of continued military rule that promoted terrorism to safeguard its vested interests, the newspaper reported.

Blaming government's pro-US policies, Party chairperson Imran Khan said the government had found support of certain other parties, including the PPP. Government's wrong policies had only helped increase the radicalisation and growth of militancy, he said.

The suicide attack on Ms Bhutto's homecoming procession, after eight-year self exile, at Shahra-e-Faisal near Karsaz left at least 139 people dead including three police officers while over 550 were injured.

UNI