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PM, COAS to visit Karachi to take on terrorism
By Asim Qadeer RanaISLAMABAD: In the wake of ongoing crackdown against the terrorists in Karachi, especially those involved in political violence, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif are scheduled to jointly visit the cosmopolitan city on the coming Friday. The PM and COAS will review progress on the recent measures to eliminate political terrorism and attend a meeting to review the National Action Plan (NAP), at the Governor House. The meeting will be attended by top provincial civil and military officials. The development is significant in the wake of a joint probe done by law enforcement agencies and security agencies into Baldia Town factory fire incident that points to the involvement of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in the incident. As many as 257 workers of a factory in Baldia Town were burnt alive after the factory owners refused to pay extortion amount of Rs 200 million. A senior official of Interior Ministry while talking to Daily Times said that PM has taken serious notice of the non-stop killing of innocent citizens in Karachi and federal government has decided to launch the large scale operation against the terrorists in business hub of the country. Law enforcement agencies would show the evidence against the mafia groups that were openly involved in extortion activities in Karachi and some police officials also providing shelter to those groups to boost these illegal activities, official added. The official said that PML N government would not tolerate these activities more because PM in last meeting warned that law enforcement agencies to ‘sort out’ those mafia elements that were making the common man’s life miserable. Sources in PM house claimed that a comprehensive briefing on the Karachi targeted operation will also be given during the meeting participants and PM and COAS would finalise Karachi operation on same day. Sources also claimed that PM has completed the consultations regarding the large scale operation against terrorist belong from any groups. Civil and military leadership will also decide to keep an eye on the mechanism of information-sharing between civilian and military intelligence agencies. According to the sources, the issue of death sentence for terrorists will also discussed in the coming meeting.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk