News
Friday, August 30, 2013
Consensus grows to cleanse Karachi* PPP, ANP, JI, JUI-F, MQM call for action against criminals calling themselves party workers
* Want judiciary to support crackdown
* Nisar says operation not an ‘easy job’
ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: A consensus was reached on Thursday on dealing with the security situation in Karachi after the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Awami National Party (ANP), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUF-F) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) supported Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s call for a targeted operation in the city.
The parties also called for action against those criminals who identify themselves as party workers.
PPP leader Syed Naveed Qamar said that a targeted operation was the only solution to the law and order problem in Karachi and “this should also be supported by the judiciary”.
Earlier, the interior minister apprised members of the National Assembly about need for a targeted operation in Karachi.
However, Nisar said that “targeted operation” was not an easy job to do. He reiterated that federal government would play its due role as per the constitution and the Sindh chief minister would be “captain” of any such operation.
He brushed aside the notion, emerged from the statements of some leaders, that Rangers had failed to deliver and said it was duty of the provincial government to better utilise the force.
The minister said that extortion of “billions of rupees” was being collected in the city and some extortionists were pretending as if they were affiliated with some political parties.
Nisar said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has taken notice of this issue and also of MQM’s demand for handing over Karachi to the army, adding that a special meeting of the federal cabinet would be held at Governor’s House in Karachi next Tuesday to discuss the prevailing law and order situation in the provincial metropolis.
The minister said the government has prepared a framework to bring improvement in the situation of Karachi and added that this would be presented before the cabinet’s meeting in Karachi.
Nisar also underlined the need for establishment of a monitoring committee under the supervision of the Sindh chief minister to oversee the targeted operation.
The minister also requested the judiciary to help the government as “criminals are released either by police or by courts”.
Replying to concerns of Dr Farooq Sattar, the minister assured that arrested workers of the MQM would not be subjected to torture or they would not go missing and would be dealt with in accordance with law.
Dr Farooq Sattar had invited the attention of the government towards Wednesday night’s arrest of his party’s workers and said that it seems there is going to be extra-judicial killings as was the case during the 90s. staff report/agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk