World condemns Mastung massacre

ISLAMABAD: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned the suicide attack at a political rally in Mastung district of Balochistan province of Pakistan, on July 13 that killed at least 132 people, including Nawabzada Siraj Raisani, a key politician from the area, and injured more than 200.
“The OIC Secretary General, Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, who was saddened by the attack, offered his deepest condolences to the families of the victims, the government and people of Pakistan and wished a quick recovery to the injured people,” said an OIC statement.
The secretary-general reiterated the principled position of the OIC against all forms of terrorism and extremism.
“He extended once again his solidarity with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism and urged the Pakistani authorities to take all possible action to bring the perpetrators of the heinous action to justice,” the statement added.
The United States also strongly condemned this week’s attacks on political candidates and their supporters in Balochistan and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces of Pakistan.
“These attacks are cowardly attempts to deprive the Pakistani people of their democratic rights,” the US State Department said in a statement.
It added: “We will continue to stand with the people of Pakistan and the broader South Asia region in their fight against terrorism.”
Hours before the Mastung bombing on Friday, at least four people were killed and dozens of others injured in another bomb attack in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The bomb exploded near the rally of Akram Khan Durrani, a candidate of Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam (F), who is contesting the election against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan.
Earlier this week on Monday Awami National Party (ANP) leader Haroon Bilour, along with at least 20 others, was killed in a suicide blast in Peshawar, capital city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The latest wave of terrorist attacks on political rallies in Pakistan has spread fear among political parties and common people across the country.