UN Council alarmed over terror attacks in Pakistan

United Nations, Jul 9 (UNI) The UN Security Council has strongly condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan which claimed numerous lives and wounded many others, calling on those behind these 'reprehensible' incidents to be brought to justice.

Earlier in the week, a suicide bombing in front of a police station near the Red Mosque in Islamabad killed 20 people, many of them policemen, and injured dozens, while a series of explosions in Karachi resulted in many more casualties.

In a statement read out to reporters yesterday by Le Luong Minh, the envoy of Viet Nam, which holds the Council's rotating presidency for the month, the 15-member body reiterated ''the need to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.'' Earlier, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also spoke out against the attacks, expressing his condolences to the victims' families and to the Pakistani government and people.

''The Secretary-General urges all political forces to unite against the scourge of terrorism and expresses his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of Pakistan,'' said a statement issued by his spokesperson.

UNI XC AK VP0735