KARACHI – The federal and Sindh governments have decided to impose partial curfew in several areas of Karachi considered criminal hot spots in order to arrest terrorists involved in targeted killings, sources claimed on Sunday.
Personnel of Sindh Police, Pakistan Rangers Sindh and the Federal Investigation Agency would join forces to carry out search operations in the marked areas. Helicopters will be used for aerial surveillance of the city by commandos during the day, who will descend in the marked areas to verify national identity cards of local residents, while there will also be a restriction on pillion riding.
The decisions were made in a meeting between Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah at the CM House on Sunday. Sindh Inspector General of Police Sultan Salahuddin Babar Khattak, Karachi Capital City Police Officer Fayyaz Leghari and other senior officials of law enforcement agencies were present in the meeting. The meeting was told that some terrorists had arrived in the city from other countries. Officials said they got involved in targeted killings and then went underground or slipped back to their countries. Security at and around the Jinnah International Airport will also be tightened to keep an eye on suspected terrorists arriving in or leaving the city.
It was also decided that strict action will be taken against those involved in snatching mobile phones, which were later used for criminal activities. Cellular service providers and their stock agents will be asked to follow the law while issuing SIM cards. The interior minister and the chief minister said attempts to disturb the law and order of Karachi and targeted killings were part of a conspiracy against democracy. Malik said some elements were trying to sow seeds of misunderstanding among the Pakistan People’s Party, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Awami National Party, but their attempts would be foiled.
