Karachi sojourn: PM Nawaz to chair meetings on Karachi issues

Party officials say interaction with PML-N Sindh MPAs, discussion of Senate elections planned

LAHORE:

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will chair a meeting on the law and order situation and attend a briefing on the Karachi operation during his visit to the port city today (Monday).

Senior party members in Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) told The Express Tribune that PM Nawaz would also get information on the Baldia Town incident and meet the MQM leadership.

“PM Nawaz Sharif will chair a meeting on law and order first and then get a briefing on the results of the operation against criminal gangs in Karachi. He will then go to Governor House where he will hold important meetings,” a senior party official said.

A meeting with PML-N MPAs in Sindh Assembly is scheduled in the afternoon, he said.



“We have been informed that PM will be in the city on Monday and he will meet with the MPAs. We will give our input on whatever issues are discussed in the meetings,” PML-N Sindh chapter president Ismail Rahu told The Express Tribune.

PML-N has eight MPAs in the Sindh Assembly and it has nominated Syed Zafar Ali Shah as its candidate for the Senate. A party official said that PM Nawaz will also discuss strategy regarding the Senate elections in Sindh with the party office bearers.

Three PML-N members who represent Karachi -- Nehal Hashmi, Salim Zia and Mushahidullah Khan -- have been awarded Senate tickets from Punjab. This reflects the PM’s faith in the party in Karachi and Sindh, he said.

As far as Baldia Town incident is concerned, the Joint Investigation Team conducted the inquiry, he said. Officials from different institutions were in the team and it was conducted independently. Those responsible for the incident will not be spared.

“It is not possible that you hunt down terrorists on mountains and let them operate in cities freely,” the PML-N office bearer said.

While all MPAs of PML-N in Sindh have been informed about the PM’s visit, but they don’t know what the agenda of their meeting with PM was.

“I have been informed that PM will meet MPAs at the Governor House, but don’t know what issues would be taken up at the meeting. The PM himself has said justice would be served in case of the Baldia Town incident. We will give our input if he asks for it,” said Humayun Muhammad Khan, a PML-N MPA in the Sindh Assembly.

PML-N Sindh Senior Vice President Saleem Zia, who has been awarded a Senate ticket from Punjab, said that though he would be with the PM in Karachi he was not aware of the agenda of those meetings.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2015.