News
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Military ‘concerned’ over Karachi unrest
KARACHI: Pakistan’s military voiced concern for the first time on Monday over ethnic and political violence in the country’s financial capital that has killed 800 people so far this year. The military spoke out after generals met at army headquarters in Rawalpindi. “The forum expressed concern over the law and order situation in Karachi and its ramifications or implications on the national economy,” the military said in a statement after army chief General Ashfaq Kayani met his top generals. The participants of the conference were also briefed in detail regarding ongoing law enforcement operations in Kurram and Mohmand agencies within the perspective of evolving security dynamic, an ISPR press release said. The participants also discussed the security situation in the country in general and Karachi in particular. Parts of the Arabian Sea port city have become battlegrounds with authorities struggling to stem the violence, blamed on activists from political parties representing competing ethnic groups, from spiralling. The military said government measures should “help redress the situation”. Much of the violence has been blamed on tensions between supporters of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Awami National Party. afp
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk