ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has taken notice of the worsening law and order situation in Karachi and has directed the Sindh government to set hot pursuit terms to pursue criminals from Karachi escaping to Balochistan. He also invited the MQM to rejoin the government.
Chairing a high level meeting in Islamabad at Aiwan-e-Sadr over the law and order situation in Karachi, Zardari said that no criminal would be spared regardless of their political affiliations, if any.
The meeting was attended by Governor Sindh Dr. Ishratul Ibad Khan, Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Syed Khursheed Shah, Secretary General to the President M. Salman Faruqui, Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Hussain Wasan, Minister for Local Government Sindh Agha Siraj Durrani, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon, Sindh Minister for Law Muhammad Ayaz Soomro who briefed the President over the latest situation in Sindh particularly violence and target killing.
Sindh Agriculture Minister Syed Ali Nawaz Shah, MNA Abdul Qadir Patel and spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar were also present in the meeting.
The meeting decided that Sindh government will approach the government of Balochistan for working out arrangements and allow pursuit of gangsters, and criminals fleeing from Karachi by the Sindh police. Efforts will also be made to step up surveillance of routes leading in and out of Karachi to keep an eye on the criminal elements and illegal movement of weapons.
The meeting also decided to beef up intelligence networks in Karachi to provide real time information to the police to apprehend culprits planning criminal activities.
A committee comprising Governor, Chief Minister and Home Minister Sindh was also formed to oversee the law and order situation in Karachi.
Zardari also directed that all victims of violence be compensated immediately.
Zardari invites MQM to rejoin the government
During the meeting the President also called MQM chief Altaf Hussain on the phone in London and emphasized the need to work together to fight lawlessness.
The President said that elements behind the recent spurt in violence were those who wanted to drive a wedge between the PPP and MQM.
Reciprocating the sentiment, Altaf Hussain said that ending violence in Karachi was critical for peace and stability and that the MQM supported any move that was aimed at restoring peace to the city.
The President once again invited Altaf Hussain, and the MQM to rejoin the government and said that the gesture would send a powerful message to deter the criminal mafia and gangsters.
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Reading about situation in Pakistan especially Karachi these days, our family thanks Allah every day that our parents were smart enough to get out of Pakistan to settle overseas.
It is always someone's else fault. Either its India's fault or America's/CIA fault or the Taliban etc etc. Pakistanis are some of the smartest people in this world yet hated equally by everyone. When given the opportunity to thrive, overseas Pakistanis are extremely successful in their endeavors yet these same people are unable to do day-to-day activities to be successful inside of Pakistan.
Pakistan is losing their educated capital and business people every day. Who would want to live in a country where you have no idea if you would be coming home after work that day.
It is all about money and power, always has been and always will be. If only everyone realized that Pakistan's geographical location is at such an advantage that if the country is run properly, everyone, and I mean everyone would make money and if people are too busy making a life for themselves and their families, you would not have all such problems. Even the politicians would make more money than what they can now.
Just my 2 cents worth.
enough is enough! bring IMRAN KHAN AND PTI in power! we need change and only they can bring it! JEAY JEAY PTI!
What about the criminals under the constitutional asylum?
if you can ever find one or prove there was a criminal act.
In 64 A.D ROME was BURNING and Nero watched from the Tower of Maecenas on the Esquiline Hill singing and playing with his Flute. Now in 2011 KARACHI is BURNING and who is playing with Flute?????
Hot pursuit? That implies law enforcement is actually pursuing a bad guy which obviously ain't happening in Karachi.
Karachi continuously bleeds that needs a sound step to counter and bring peace. It is right time to do some extra ordinary effort. it is welcome step at the end of president to call a meeting so that some effective strategies can be devised and peace may be restored. All we demand more!
Start with YOURSELF please... You are the root cause and source of all evils
No criminals to be spared..... Doe thatInclude our President Mr Zardai ??
Well, this is the guy who sheepishly owned up to Surrey Mamdion and Swiss accounts.
This guy needs to voluntarily go back to jail.
The dead bodies are bargaining chips in a political game.
No Criminal to be spared Includes excludes ????????/
I wonder
Zardari should take action on himself first and go back to jail then talk about other criminals.
Politicians are the biggest criminals in Pak...
President Zardari calls up Dr. Ishratul Ibad today to discuss the Karachi situation. Asks him politely 'what's the score'
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: better yet - he should be sent to jail so that he can come out and either become the President or the Prime Minister, but till then we will be rid of him.
Tall claims, took you few days for Sarfraz killing verdict - because of political mileage. How about Salman Taseer's killer - just because the maulvi have a nuisance value more than the respected President's, it will take forever...
@ pakistan kay very important people sitting in .AC. with comfy comfy couch will not solve the problems you all must step out on streets or address us publicly on what is the SCENE MAN!!!!!!!!
Mr. Zardari, PPP's Sindh Government including MQM's Governor should be removed for failure to govern.
Unfortunately the biggest criminals in Pakistan have constitutional immunity for the next two years!
ZARADARI AND ALL. ALLAH SWT sai daro!!!!!
Mr.Zardari needs to savvy the fact pronto ..................MQM is the represantative of the majority of Karachi .....like it or not .
Being in power is MQM prerogative, not a favor bestowed by Mr.Zardari or anybody .
Why we , the majority is to be ruled over by a bunch of Waderas of Interior Sindh .
Either we are given ample power to govern our affairs or let us have our own administrative unit in Sindh . It is this simple .
'A committee comprising Governor, Chief Minister and Home Minister Sindh was also formed to oversee the law and order situation in Karachi.' And that's rubbing salt over our wounds.
The irony.
Get out of your Air-conditioned meeting and do something useful! This discussion has been going on forever..enough discussion and time for real work!
These guys are unbelievable. Why dont set the right example and put Zulfiqar Mirza and a few more of his own politicians in Jail. I think Karachi will defuse in tension immediately. In the second round they put a few MQM people in Jail and voala Peace eternally.
Criminals are exempted from prosecution and this is one of the reasons that they are killing people unabated.
Any one who mighty be arrested by chance will get the bail in due course of time from the curt.
In a rent news, miscreants fired at the elite force bus at Chakra Goth and killed 4 police officials and 40 police officials are seriously injured. This is the first incident when police is caught between the cross firing of ethnic groups
The civil war in Karachi has already started. People should store the ration/food items for a month/year as was stated by Mr. Altaf Hussain and Mr. Zulfiqar Mirza.
I wish all the best to the killers in their future endeavors, as army will not be called by the local administration and the local law enforcing agencies are reluctant to take any action, as they do not want to get involved in the dispute between the rival groups, as their lives are more precious than citizens of Karachi.
I pray that Rehman Malik should be promoted to the rank of Deputy Prime Minister for all the good work he is doing.
If this is the case majority of your ppp will go to cleaners.