Rangers given shoot-at-sight orders

KARACHI: The Rangers have been given shoot-at-sight orders to curb a spree of targeted killings in Karachi, federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Thursday.

Moreover, accusing some elements of trying to destabilise the law and order situation across the country, Malik said that the army can yet be called in if the situation continues to deteriorate.

He said that the prime minister is arriving here on Friday to hold talks with all political parties in a bid to resolve issues.

Addressing a press conference at the Karachi airport, he warned people responsible for the killings that they would be dealt with sternly, and said: “The government will not tolerate any further violence.” He was accompanied by Senator Afrasiab Khattak of the Awami National Party (ANP) on the occasion.

During the day, he held several meetings with various stakeholders, including Governor of Sindh Ishratul Ebad and key leaders of the  Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and ANP, and also visited both parties’ headquarters.

Stressing the need for de-weaponising the city, Malik said: “We are changing our strategy to get rid of these terrorist elements who have converted the city into a weapons depot.”

Assuring all political parties, he said they would be taken into confidence in devising a joint strategy to overcome the problem. “The people of Karachi will see a qualitative change over the next 48 hours.”

“The prime minister specially is arriving in the city on Friday to hold meetings with all coalition partners to resolve the issue,” said the interior minister.

During his visit to the MQM headquarters, ‘Nine-Zero’, Malik was accompanied by the Sindh governor. Talking to the media after a meeting there, he claimed that there was a nexus between drug mafia, land mafia and militants and that they were involved in targeted killings.

Reiterating the government’s resolve to bring peace all over the country, he said it was the government’s duty to do so. “In this context, I have given shoot-at-sight orders to the Rangers.”

Praising the slain MQM MPA Raza Haider, he said that his murder is being investigated and the government is considering forming a judicial committee, adding that Haider’s son will be provided a job either in the police or the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Sources in the MQM said the party had expressed concern over the interior minister’s statement about the army’s deployment in the city.

“During the meeting at the Governor House, Dr Ishratul Ebad told the interior minister that all political parties must be taken into confidence before giving such a statement.”

Meanwhile, Wasay Jalil, member of the MQM’s Rabita Committee, told The Express Tribune that the issue of army deployment had not been discussed at the meeting.

“The interior minister had come to offer condolences over the death of Raza Haider and informed that there was a meeting to be chaired by the prime minister on Friday,” he said.

Referring to the army deployment, he said: “Our armed forces are already engaged in a war against terrorists at the borders. This is not the right time to call them (for deployment in the city). (Personnel of) Police and Rangers are sufficient to control the situation.”

Later, Malik visited the Mardan House and held meeting with presidents of ANP’s Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh chapters, Afrasiab Khattak and Shahi Syed, respectively, as well as the party’s General Secretary Amin Khattaq.

Following the meetings, Malik said that there were some elements who wanted to disturb peace in the city. “We will not let any mafia to create problems in the city. We have a lot of enemies, but unfortunately our own people are [also] traitors.”

He said that people who have suffered losses during the recent riots will be given compensation.

Commenting on Malik’s visit, Senator Khattak said he had not come to defuse the tension in the city. Regarding the meeting, he said: “Malik had come for offering condolences over the killing of our innocent workers. The domestic political situation was also discussed.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2010.