Violence: Sindh government decides not to call army in Karachi

The Sindh government expressed confidence in the performance of the police and the paramilitary rangers and decided not to call the army in Karachi, as Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan also said that a political solution was being sought as army actions in the past could not deliver desired results.
A private TV channel reported on Tuesday that a law and order meeting, jointly chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and Interior Minister Rehman Malik, was held at the CM House in Karachi. The meeting reviewed the security situation in Karachi and interior Sindh.
Quoting sources, the channel reported that 25 banned organisations were warned to shut their offices and activities and action would be taken against those banned organisations which were operating under different names. Also, a handout of the Sindh government has outlined important steps which will be taken for restoring peace in Karachi.
According to the handout, extortionists and miscreants have been asked to leave the city immediately and go somewhere else otherwise strict action would be taken against them. Buses coming from other provinces to Karachi will also be searched because ammunition is being brought from other provinces to the city.
Talking to journalists after attending meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting in Islamabad, Dr Firdous said that the military operation in Karachi could only be a temporary solution but the government was aiming to find a permanent solution of the issue through political means.
To a question, Dr Firdous said that the Pakistan Army was an important national institution which has always come to the aid of civil administration whenever its help was needed. In war on terror and during last year’s floods, the army has rendered unprecedented services for the nation, she said.
However, the minister said that if the provincial government asks the federal government for the army support, the centre would take appropriate action. She said that unity was need of the hour and all political parties should show maturity and play positive role in overcoming the present crisis in the city.
The minister said that Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) leadership also has to fulfill its responsibilities in this regard. She said that MQM’s concerns about Karachi situation were correct but demanding resignations from the prime minister or chief minister was totally unjustified. She said that the federal government was providing all possible support to the provincial government in fighting miscreants in Karachi.