Pakistani leaders condemn Karachi suicide attack

Pakistani President, Asif Ali Zardari, strongly condemned a suicide car bomb attack on the house of a senior police investigation officer, which killed 8 people, and said that such brutal attacks cannot deter war on terror. Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack and said they would keep on targeting police officers. The bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into the house of the Senior Superintendent Police of the Crime Investigation Department (CID), Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam, who has arrested several Taliban militants in Karachi. Aslam, escaped unhurt in the attack, told reporters that he had received threats from the Pakistani Taliban and other extremist groups. Police said that six police guards and a school teacher and her eight-year-old son were also killed in the attack at Defence locality of Karachi. President Zardari said that such cowardly actions of the extremist elements ‘could not deter the determination of the government against the militancy and terrorism’. He condemned the attack and directed the Provincial government to undertake comprehensive enquiry into the incident and take more stringent measures to improve the security, presidential spokesman said. The President expressed deep sorrow and grief on loss of lives in this blast and conveyed condolences to the bereaved families. Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani also strongly condemned the attack and reiterated government's resolve to fight extremism and terrorism till its complete elimination. Prime Minister Gilani in a message to the families of those who lost their loved ones prayed to Allah Almighty to bless them and for courage to the loved ones to bear this loss with equanimity. The Karachi police chief said the militants targeted the CID police officer as this department had arrested several Taliban militants in Karachi.