The Hindu : Front Page : Terrorists have no religion: Musharraf

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Oct 02, 2004

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Front Page

Terrorists have no religion: Musharraf

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, OCT. 1. At least 25 persons were killed and dozens were injured as a bomb ripped through a mosque in Sialkot town in Punjab province this afternoon.

The victims were among the 700-odd faithful who had gathered for the Friday prayers. Police suspect it to be the handiwork of a suicide bomber who carried a briefcase inside the mosque.

The President, Pervez Musharraf, who returned home at the end of his two-week foreign tour hours before the incident, condemned the incident and reaffirmed the Government's commitment to root out terrorism and ensure peace and security to the citizens.

In a statement, Gen. Musharraf said the incident "clearly shows that terrorists have no religion and are enemies of the mankind."

The former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Benazir Bhutto, in a statement alleged that the law and order had broken down and people were being killed in mosques and streets while the rulers were busy finding ways to steal more and more powers for personal aggrandizement.

She said dictatorship could not stem the violence because it itself was based on violence and subversion of the rule of law. She said only democratic governments could check violence.

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