Lahore, Oct 19 : Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif telephoned Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir Bhutto and condemned explosions that took place near her convoy late on Thursday night, killing 138 people.

Sharif expressed his shock and grief over those killed and injured in the blasts, ARY TV reported.

Sharif said the Musharraf regime must have taken enough security measures to avoid such incidents.

He, however, said the government didn’t pay enough heed to the reported threats of possible suicide attacks being carried out against Benazir Bhutto, and added that no one in Pakistan was happy about the law and order situation.

He said that Pakistan would have achieved better national reconciliation if he had been allowed to stay on in the country after his arrival from London on September 10.

According to the Daily Times, at least 138 people were killed and hundreds injured late on Thursday night as suspected suicide bombers targeted Bhutto on her return.

Two explosions went off a minute apart shortly after midnight near Karsaz close to the vehicle Bhutto was travelling in, at the head of a procession of hundreds of thousands of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) supporters who had flooded the streets of Karachi to welcome her.

"The blasts hit two police vehicles which were escorting the truck carrying Bhutto. The target was the truck," said a senior Karachi police official.

The attack reportedly bore the hallmarks of al Qaeda and resembled assassination attempts by militants linked to the terrorist network on President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in recent years.

The Pakistan Interior Ministry, however, has confirmed 70 deaths in the attack.

Officials at six hospitals in Karachi reported over 130 dead and about 600 wounded, making it one of the deadliest bombings in Pakistan's history.

Earlier, Intelligence reports had warned of threats of suicide attacks against Bhutto by militants linked to al Qaeda, the Taliban and Baitullah Mehsud. (ANI)