Both the political outfits accused for mayhem in Karachi, Awami National Party (ANP) and Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM), have welcomed the apex court verdict and hoped that this would help restore peace in Karachi.
Talking to Pakistan Today, MQM spokesman Wasay Jalil said the MQM Rabita Committee had welcomed the Supreme Court verdict on Karachi unrest and hoped that the decision would help maintain sustainable and durable peace in Karachi.
“We are thankful to the Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry and other members of the bench for such a prudent decision and for the immediate suo motu notice to rescue the innocent people of Karachi from hardcore criminals and killers. The court verdict is inclusive and it is hoped that it would help lasting peace,” he said. Asked why his party had joined the PPP government when its lawyer had told the court that the PPP was backing the criminals involved in murdering the Karachiites, Jalil said the MQM lawyer had not implicate the PPP in the killings and rather some criminals of Layari gang war were involved in those killings.
“We had said that some criminals of People’s Aman Committee were supervising these killings and had demanded an action against those criminals,” he said and added that the court intervention had already stabilised situation in Karachi and calm had been restored in comparison to the violence in July and August. He said there was no room for any criminal or target killers in the MQM and action should be taken if anyone was found involved in heinous crimes irrespective of political affiliations. Haji Mohammed Adeel, the senior vice president of ANP, though welcomed the verdict, however said that the court verdict should have been comprehensive and specific directions should have been made which were missing.
“The court should have given direction about the incompetence of the Sindh government. No action has been determined about extortionists in the verdict. The court must have given directions as there is no higher forum than the apex court so the court should have given clear directions rather than making observations. Moreover, the court should have summoned Dr Zulfiqar Mirza as no one has contradicted his accusations,” he added.
He said his party had been demanding the de-weaponistaion of Karachi and action should be taken against anyone or party if found involved in target killings or extortion. He said if any criminal is found involved with ANP flag in his hand, he must be tried against without any discrimination.
When contacted, PPP Secretary Information Qamar Zaman Kaira said he had returned from Egypt and could not seek the party’s guidelines on the court verdict. He sought time to react but later did not pick his phone despite repeated attempts made to reach him out. When approached, Juniad Chandio, the private secretary of law minister Maula Bakhsh Chandio, said that the minister was resting and could not be contacted for comments on the apex court verdict.
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