Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. PHOTO FILE
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has “decided in principle” to launch a targeted operation against criminals, target killers and extortionists in Karachi this month, a federal cabinet member told The Express Tribune on Tuesday.
It is a Hobson’s choice, which is a ‘choice’ with only one option, he said. “The operation will be conducted on a now-or-never basis.”
Paramilitary forces will conduct the operation that aims at eliminating criminal elements from Karachi within six months. The military will operate as a quick response force if needed, the cabinet member added. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah will supervise the operation which will be spearheaded by the Rangers.
Prime Minister Nawaz will take all political parties into confidence by the end of this week, he said.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, after meeting the heads of all civilian intelligence agencies, also requested the prime minister to give his final nod to law-enforcement agencies for launching an operation in Karachi, a senior official of the interior ministry told The Express Tribune.
“The premier will announce the proposed plan for the targeted operation in Karachi today (Wednesday)”, he said.
According to the proposed plan prepared by Sindh home department, the operation will most probably be launched in Lyari Town and Sohrab Goth – the most sensitive areas declared by the agencies, said the official. Then it will be expanded to Manghopir, Orangi Town, Korangi, Manghopir, Landhi, Ranchore Lines and Ittehad Town.
Targeting the hideouts of banned outfits will be the priority, while the Rangers and police will be given special powers to conduct search operations in any house, mosque or madrassah.
The home department will ask the local people to cooperate with the law-enforcement agencies.
The government will constitute a powerful committee to monitor the operation whose members include Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Muhammad Ijaz Chaudhry, journalists and civil society.
The National Crisis Management Cell, a subsidiary department of the interior ministry, highly recommended both the federal as well as the provincial government to cleanse the city. “The federal government, by using all forces, should launch an operation in Karachi,” is the gist of a report sent to the prime minister earlier this week.
The report further revealed that several Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan factions and al-Qaeda elements have moved to Karachi. Such factions are penetrating deeper into the city every passing day, it claims. Therefore, a targeted operation is inevitable whether the military is engaged or not, NCMC Director-General Wing Commander (retd) Tariq Lodhi advised the government in the report.
The militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi is responsible for much of the violence in the city and it needs to be rooted out, stated the report.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2013.
COMMENTS (14)
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With the special permission of the apex court, the city must be closed for all foreigners and the elements entered in from other provinces,for example notorious elements and involved in illegal activities.
The fact of the day is that, prime target of targeted operation are affiliated with political parties, So total success in this connection impossible to large extent.
Conflict, in between the two, murder counter murder then revenge.
Prime minister is true in his stance, all parties will be taken into confidence, but prime should know,some of the parties are involved in the crime like unrest, it is dire need of the time to control on them.They playing role and then screaming for peace.
Police have badly been failed to over come the situation.some resons behind this failure.there are no well trained personnal in the force.And on the other hand there are black sheep in the depart who has leniency for.
Rangers, as a second forces,has also neen tested and found failed,It would be doubt less to say the forces was provided full power in regard to the operation but inspite of all unrest still stand,on the contrary unrest has increas and touching its peak.
As for as army action is concerned,that is the best,according to my considered opinion,only the armed forces operation would proved crucial and final,the only army can restore peace in the largest city of the country.
Time is being wasted,quarter concerned has fulfledged knowledge the there is no other power or instittution in the country can hold the deteriorating circumstances.Military operation is now or never.
@Shokha
Aysha M is right as when Musharaff was in power there was growth and peace cause he gave MQM the power to develop and run the city is an organized way now ....
Once again cosmetic steps which would not offer any permanent solution. If police has become a failure than the reason is obvious - the police is overwhelming not local. If the interior minister is worth his salt and has done even the tiniest bit of homework, let him come and inform which other metropolitan city of the world is policed by people who are not cultural or historically, the permanent residents of that metropolitan areas. A city is policed by external personnel only in occupied areas! I also wonder what quality of journalists we are producing who do not put such questions directly to the interior minister and instead get willingly side tracked into adhoc measures like the one being proposed presently by PM and the Interior Minister.
@Aysha M: The elected representatives are PPP and MQM politicians . We don't want Karachi in the same hands again now do we? Period
Thank you for the heads up! They will move out, stay in rural for a short while and come back when things settle down - only to stir them up!
The only peace plan that will work in Karachi is to let Karachi e governed by its elected representatives. Period
Very strange to divulge all details of the operation beforehand so criminals can move to safer areas
How about the elements backed by the very political parties, whose leaders constitute 'powerful' committee to monitor the operation?
now tell them that you will at both location from that day to that time so that they can go for vacation, thats pathetic
Everyone knows who live in Karachi and against whom this operation will be because the non-residents of Karachi would have been left Karachi by now for Baluhcistan, Punjab, Sindh and KP. Another nightmare for Karachiitte in spite for the areas where they come from.