Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto said Tuesday night's blast at the venue of a meeting to be addressed by suspended Chief Justice Iftikar M Chaudhry was directed against her Pakistan People's Party and blamed a 'hidden hand' behind it to impose emergency.
"Our information is that PPP is the target. Whether it (was a) bomb blast or suicide attack, its planners wanted to cause heavy casualties to our cadre. Many of our cadre are either died or in serious condition," she told private Geo TV in an interview from London.
She said the judgement of Chaudhry's case was expected on July 20 and the role of a 'hidden hand' cannot be ruled out to create panic and then make a case for imposing emergency or put off the general elections due to be held later this year.
PPP's stand is that moderate forces in Pakistan would be further alienated by imposing emergency, she said.
Asked whether the attack was directed against her party because of the firm stand taken by her in supporting the crackdown against Lal Masjid by President Pervez Musharraf, she said 'some people think that it is the militants' response because PPP has a firm policy against terrorism. I do not agree with this'.
"The extremists are trying to spread enmity within and outside Pakistan by attacking government officials, diplomatic missions, courts and hotels. This reflects the failure of the government to maintain law and order.
"If law and order can not be established by the government then the international community would perceive that Pakistan is a failed state," she said.
That is the reason why PPP wants restoration of democracy in order to mobilise people's support against terrorism, Bhutto said.
Asserting that her party would continue to take a stern stand against extremism and militancy, she said 'within 20 hours after the attack on Lal Masjid, Ayman al-Zhawari, the deputy leader of Al Qaeda, warned of revenge attacks. Questions are being asked whether these incidents are being directed by Al Qaeda or are connected with the judgement of Chaudhry'.
Bhutto said militancy has grown so strong in Pakistan that it posed a challenge to the unity of the country.
Extremist forces were now trying to graduate from 'junior partners to senior partners', she said.
While making a strong case for restoration of democracy, which she said was essential to fight terrorism, Bhutto added that her party remains committed to fight against extremism and terrorism.
"Our commitment remains. Extremists want to break the country. Extremism can not be neutralised by crackdown but by democracy and empowerment of people. Religious extremism can be controlled by good governance," she said.
She condoled the deaths of those killed in the blast and asked senior leaders of the party to attend to the injured.
More from rediff