‘Focused operations’ to continue in Karachi: Gen Raheel

KARACHI: Army chief General Raheel Sharif on Wednesday directed security agencies to continue concerted operations in conjunction with law enforcement agencies and the Sindh government for complete restoration of peace in the metropolis.

The army chief was presiding over a security conference at the Corps Headquarters in Karachi which was attended, among others, by Corps Commander Karachi Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhtar, Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence Lieutenant General Rizwan Akhtar, the director-general of Military Intelligence, DG Military Operations and DG Rangers, Sindh, according to a statement issued by ISPR.

“The army chief directed [security agencies] to continue focused operations in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies and the provincial government for complete restoration of peace for common citizens of Karachi,” it added.

Appreciating the accomplishments of the security and intelligence agencies, the army chief lauded their services for the improved law and order situation in the city.

Earlier, the army chief visited the Corps Headquarters and attended an ongoing exercise run by the Southern Command titled ‘Resilient Response’. He was briefed in detail about the exercise, encompassing both defensive and offensive operations.

Addressing the participants, the army chief expressed complete satisfaction over the formations’ enhanced battle-worthiness and operational preparedness.

Since September 5, 2013, an operation is ongoing in Karachi against terrorists and criminal elements and a number of gangs of terrorists and criminals have been busted over the past three years.

A couple of days ago, the Sindh police’s Counter-Terrorism Department is learnt to have arrested members of a sectarian outfit – Lashkar-e-Jhangvi – who were allegedly involved in at least 28 high-profile terrorism cases, including the murder of Qawwali maestro Amjad Sabri and a recent spate of sectarian violence in the Sindh metropolis.

During his previous visit in June this year, the army chief had stated that the operation focusing on eliminating all terrorist networks, their abettors and financiers, would continue until peace and normalcy was restored in all parts of Karachi.

During his visit to the headquarters of Pakistan Rangers (Sindh), he said that full assistance, including intelligence and material support, would be provided to the Rangers for accomplishing their mission.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2016.