PM condemns Karachi blasts in message to Musharraf, Bhutto

Singh conveyed “personal concerns and sympathies” to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader through High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal. The Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee also expressed their condolences to the families of the victims of bomb blasts.

“We are horrified by the loss of innocent life caused by the terrorist attack on your convoy and the injuries to some of your senior colleagues. We are relieved that you yourself are unhurt,” Pal told Bhutto, conveying Singh’s message.

Saying that terrorism is a “common challenge” to South Asia, he told Bhutto that India will “look forward to working with you to defeat terrorism in all its forms”. An official statement said “Bhutto thanked the PM, the EAM and the Government and the people of India for their concern and prayers”.

India also said that rising terrorism in the region “requires strong and determined action” by all governments. “We strongly condemn the terrorist attack in Karachi. The spectre of terrorism confronting our region requires strong and determined action by all our governments,” the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said.

Chief of Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor also said on Friday that upsurge in terrorist violence anywhere was a matter of concern and nations and governments should come together to fight it. “Terrorist violence anywhere is a cause of concern,” Kapoor said.

Kapoor also added that levels of violence levels has not come down in Jammu and Kashmir and time was not yet ripe for troop reduction in the state. “If violence level is going up, the Army’s role is to bring it down .. it is not the time for troop reduction. We want the development process in the state to go on,” he said.