ISLAMABAD, June 18: Chief of his own faction of the PML-N Nawaz Sharif has said the brutal murder of Munawwar Suhrawardy has proved that the government of Gen Pervez Musharraf has failed to maintain law and order and ensure security of life and property of the people.

In a statement, issued by the former prime minister from Jeddah and issued by the party's office here on Friday, Mr Sharif demanded immediate removal of interior minister Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat and Sindh governor Dr Ishratul Ibad.

The PML-N chief expressed his deep sorrow and anger over the murder of Mr Suhrawardy, and demanded that a high-powered commission comprising retired high court judges of good repute should be set up to investigate the incident and trace elements responsible for it.

He said the murder of PPP activist Munawwar Suhrawardy was a warning to the political forces that were engaged in a peaceful struggle for the restoration of the Constitution and genuine democracy in the country.

Earlier, the assassination of Mufti Nizamuddin Shamzai, an eminent scholar and a man of peace and amity, shocked those who considered it their national and religious obligation to warn the rulers of the harmful consequences of relegating Pakistan's armed forces to the status of serving American interests, he added.

PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, deputy parliamentary leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, secretary-general Saranjam Zamindar and information secretary Siddiqul Farooque have also expressed similar views.

They said the deterioration of law and order in the country had reached a stage where the government had lost even the legitimacy that the distorted Constitution provided it.

The PML-N leaders have expressed sympathy with the PPP chairperson, Benazir Bhutto, and other party leaders and workers. Our Reporter adds: The PTI chief has also condemned the brutal murder of PPP leader, Munawwar Suhrawardy, in Karachi on Thursday.

It seems that there is complete break down of law and order in the country especially in Karachi, which has aggravated the sense of insecurity, he added. Mr Khan expressed his concern over the growing incidents of violence and said the government had failed to perform its primary duty to protect life and property of the citizens.

Meanwhile, the chairman, All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (Apma), Shahbaz Bhatti, has condemned the killing of PPP leader Munawwar Suhrawardy and demanded am immediate inquiry into the incident.

In a statement here Friday Mr Bhatti said "it is a target killing of a peace loving person who always struggled for the true democracy, equality and justice". He was a committed and devoted leader of PPP and remained faithful with the party and chairperson Benazir Bhutto in his whole life.

The Apma chief demanded of the government to set up a high-level inquiry commission to investigate the murder and unmask the "masterminds" of this killing and arrest them. He said that terrorists had made the largest port city of Karachi hostage and the Sindh government had totally failed to protect the lives of innocent people.