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Jeenay Do Karachi Ko: PML-N, PPP, PTI, PST, JI say no to military operation
KARACHI: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N),Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Sunni Tehreek (PST), and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), have said 'No' while Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP) said 'Yes' to a military operation in Karachi, Geo News reported.
A question to this effect was raised during the Geo News special transmission 'Jeenay Do Karachi Ko' where representatives of major political and religious parties debated on how to bring about peace in Karachi.
At least six opinion-poll-like 'burning questions' were raised in the debate, which the participants were asked to answer in 'Yes' or 'No'.
The questions were:
1) Is a fair military action the only solution to the menace of rampant violence in Karachi?
2) Are the activists of political and religious parties involved in extortion?
3) Are law-enforcing and intelligence agencies responsible for deteriorating law & order situation in the city?
4) Is it true that the police were recruited politically rather than on the basis of merit during the past regimes?
5) Did the deployment of Rangers do any good to the citizens of Karachi?
6) Do some political and religious parties blackmail Karachi's business community?
By the end of the special broadcast, anchored by senior journalist Hamid Mir, almost all the parties more or less reached consensus on five points.
Moreover they also agreed on:
a) A targeted operation jointly conducted by the police, Rangers, and military.
b) The operation, if conducted, should be monitored by an impartial team comprising media and civil society.
c) Coordination among intelligence agencies.
d) Deweaponization of Karachi
e) Strict check & balance.
f) Authentication of all the intelligence reports.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon (PPP), Faisal Sabzwari (MQM), Sarwat Ijaz Qadri (PST), Abdul Hakeem Baloch (PML-N), Shahi Syed (ANP), Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman (JI), and Asad Umer (PTI) represented their respective political parties in the debate, whereas industrialist Siraj Qassam Teli spoke on the behalf of the business community.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rasheed, who also took part in the debate, stressed the need for a strict action against criminals without any discrimination.
He said that federal intelligence agencies should share information with the provincial authorities for an effective action against the elements involved in disrupting the peace of metropolis.
Replying to a question, he said that the Federal Government would
ensure coordination among intelligence institutions.
Rasheed said that there was no political or ideological conflict in Karachi.
"Some groups, mafias, and disgruntled elements were disrupting the peace
of the city for petty gains. Such criminal elements had gotten
foothold in the city during the dictatorial regimes in the country",
he added.
Expressing his views, PPP's Sharjeel Memon, said that Karachi's police was the most unfortunate one in the whole Pakistan as the good cops were always target-killed after an operation.
"The police have all the capacity as well as capability to do their job in a befitting manner. Karachi can become a cradle of peace within a month if they are just allowed to work properly", he said.
On the other hand MQM's Faisal Sabzwari said his party had formally requested the government to give Karachi police a freehand to fight crime, but it was never considered.
"We have written to the government to untie the hands of police as we believe they are fully capable of effectively enforcing law & order in Karachi"
Defending his side, Shahi Syed claimed there were no criminals in his party.
"Certain malefactors use ANP’s name and then those elements are used by agencies", said he.
PTI's Asad Umer said other parts of the country were also suffering from similar problems, but nothing regarding the militant wings of political parties ever surfaced in other provinces.
Courtesy www.geo.tv