Islamabad, July 8 (AP): Attacks in Islamabad and its main commercial hub have rattled the country and raised questions today about whether the new government’s policies towards militancy is working.

Investigators were still probing the seven small blasts that wounded 43 yesterday in Karachi and a suicide bombing that killed 18 and wounded dozens on Sunday in Islamabad.

The attacks coincided with the one-year anniversary of the deadly military siege of the Lal Masjid.

Pakistan’s leaders this week called for national unity and insisted they are committed to fighting terrorism, but they are increasingly accused of policy incoherence — seeking peace with militants but also using force.

“Any observer of the scene will be struck by what appears to be a lack of resolve on the government’s part to crush this mischief that by any standards is the greatest threat to Pakistan,” said an editorial in the Dawn newspaper. The News daily noted: “So far, there is considerable confusion in policies regarding militancy.”

Pakistan’s new government came to power after February elections with promises to use peace talks and economic aid to try to end militant activity — much of which occurs in its northwest tribal regions near the border with Afghanistan.

Under the previous administration dominated by President Pervez Musharraf, the government relied heavily on military action against insurgents. US officials have warned the new government that peace deals could give militants time to regroup.

But although the government never ruled out using force, it only turned to it on a significant scale in late June when militant groups began threatening the northwest city of Peshawar as well as a key road used to send supplies to US-led forces in Afghanistan.

Yet, militants had mostly fled the targeted Khyber tribal region before the security operation began, and it was recently put on hold as officials again try peace talks. Late today, local government official Mohammad Khan said gunmen fired on a vehicle carrying security forces in Khyber, killing four and wounding seven. It was not immediately clear if the killings today were linked to the offensive. Compounding the confusion is a lack of clarity over who really is running Pakistan.