Target killings in Karachi have decreased, says CM

He also said that action will be taken against profiteers in Ramazan.

SUKKUR:

Even though 10 people died on the first day of Ramazan in Karachi, this did not stop Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah from claiming that “target killings in the city have been minimised because of effective steps taken by the government.”

While talking to the media on Sunday at Sukkur airport, he claimed that the incident in which four people were gunned down on Saturday in Sohrab Goth, Karachi was not an act of target killing but an armed clash between two rival groups. Four target killers have also been arrested, said Shah. “The law and order situation is improving,” he said. “Rangers have been ordered to conduct effective raids so that better results can be achieved.”

Talking about the price hike in Ramazan, the chief minister said that on Saturday, he visited some markets in Karachi and directed the authorities to take action against the profiteers. “The government has given a subsidy of Rs2.5 billion so that people can purchase commodities at low prices during Ramazan,” he said. When asked why the government makes effort to provide relief to the people only in Ramazan, the chief minister claimed that since the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) has come to power, it has been trying to alleviate the miseries of the people all year round.

Referring to the recent induction of politicians and influential people to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Shah said, “Those leaving PPP and joining PML-N are political orphans and don’t have the support of the people.” Later, Shah and some ministers of his cabinet left for Kandhkot, where he is scheduled to chair cabinet meeting. He will also listen to the grievances of the citizens and party workers there.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2012.