KARACHI - Political and religious parties on Friday condemned the terrorist attack on Chinese Consulate in the port city and termed it a conspiracy against the China-Pakistan relations.

They lauded bravery of the martyred police officials in the unfortunate incident and offered condolences to the families of the deceased.

Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi. He said, “The reprehensible terrorist attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi was thwarted by the courageous fight put up by our Sindh Police led by courageous SSP Suhai Aziz. I salute the brave officers who were martyred courageously protecting our friends. We honour them,” he tweeted today.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that attack on Chinese Consulate was in fact an attack on the time-tested friendship between Pakistan and China.

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman expressed his deep concern over the terrorist attack on the Chinese Consulate, in which two police personnel embraced martyrdom. He said that involvement of external elements, including spy agencies of India and the United States, could not be ruled out.

He termed the attack an attempt to sabotage the strong friendly relations between Pakistan and China and recent developments on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He said that intelligence agencies should find out the elements who were behind the attack.

Hafiz Naeem said that security forces should investigate the hidden hands behind the attack. He lauded the timely response of the personnel of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) who gunned down all three terrorists during the attack.

“After launch of the targeted operation in Karachi, the law and order situation improved. However, the latest attack has shown that the network of external terrorist groups is still strong in the country, particularly in the Sindh capital. This should be controlled through effective and timely action,” Naeem said.

Condemning the attack, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Karachi President Khurrum Sher Zaman stated that enemies of the country want to destroy the law and order situation in Pakistan. “Pak-China friendship is exemplary. SP Suhai Aziz and her team saved lives of Chinese Consulate officials,” he said.

Sher Zaman said, “Security officials martyred in the Chinese Consulate attack were a great asset of the country. We pray for the best reward for them in the life hereafter and patience for their families.”

He said, “They foiled the conspiracy to destroy the Pak-China relations. Terrorists want to tarnish our name all over the globe. Police officials saved not only lives but also respect and pride of our homeland,” he said.

“We request the Sindh government to provide financial assistance and protection for life to relatives of the martyrs who gave their lives for protection of country’s honour. President of the PTI Karachi said, “The entire nation is on one page for protection of respect and integrity of the country. We will never let anybody harm our homeland in any case. We will foil every conspiracy against our country.”

He said, “People who sacrifice their lives while performing their duties never die. They are always alive. The entire country is indebted to security officials who chose respect of their country over their own lives.”

Pasban-e-Pakistan President Altaf Shakoor said that growing terrorism in the country was the bitter fruit of wrong policies of the former Pakistani rulers; they fought a proxy war in Afghanistan. He expressed a grave concern over the brazen attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi and a deadly bomb blast in Hangu.

He said, “We are reaping what the Pakistani rulers had sown in the past. It is now an open secret that the war that we fought in Afghanistan was not our war. “We lent unconditional support to an alien war in Afghanistan and incurred huge human and financial losses.”

He said the Afghan war has already failed and the US would have to leave that country sooner or later. He said the growing terrorism in Pakistan could be the frustration of the elements facing a humiliating defeat in Afghanistan.

Altaf Shakoor demanded that the security situation in the country should be improved so that the enemy can be defeated.

Similarly MQM-Haqqiqi Chairman Afaq Ahmed, Ahl-e-Sunnat wal Jammat leader Aurangzaib Farooqi, Pakistan Sunni Tehreek chief Sarwat Ijaz Qadri, TLP Karachi chief Allama Razi Hussaini, PML-N Sindh chief, Awami National Party Sindh chief Shahi Syed, Majils-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) Deputy Secretary Allama Ahmed Iqbal Rizvi, and MQM-Pakistan Coordination Committee strongly condemned the attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi.

Paying tribute to the Sindh Police and Rangers they said their prayers were with the families of the martyred policemen who lost their lives in line of duty. They added that every Pakistani was on the same page to protect Pak-China friendship.

Lauding services of the martyred police officials, Barrister Murtaza Wahab said the real target of the terrorists was the Chinese Consulate but Allah Almighty saved them as security personnel foiled the attack. “Our security personnel always foiled such attacks bravely. Timely action against such anti-state and anti religion elements saved many lives,” he said.

Murtaza, who is adviser to the Sindh chief minister on information, law and anti corruption, said the chief minister remained in touch with the Chinese Consulate, police chief and the Rangers during the attack. He prayed for early recovery of the injured security guard who also helped the law enforcement personnel during the attack.