Pakistan

Sindh govt warned over 'going slow' on NAP implementation

Bilawal Bhutto holds separate meetings with Karachi Corps Commander, DG Rangers

Hafeez Tunio July 12, 2015

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah presides over the Sindh Apex Committee meeting at the CM House in Karachi on July 12, 2015. PHOTO: APP

KARACHI: Security agencies on Thursday warned that the 'slow' implementation of the National Action Plan in Sindh was hampering the fight against terrorism in the country.

Officials belonging to security institutions made the statements during a Sindh apex committee meeting chaired by Sindh CM Qaim Ali Shah at the CM House.

Read: Rangers to keep policing powers in Karachi: Nisar

The registration of seminaries also came under discussion, with officials being informed that there was a total 9,600 seminaries in Sindh, of which 6,500 were registered.

Poll

[poll id="1446"]

“This is the same figure that was presented in first meeting of the apex committee. We want to know what action has been taken against unregistered seminaries,” said an unconvinced Corps Commander Karachi Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhar to Sindh’s home secretary.

The home secretary informed the committee that action is being taken against unregistered seminaries, while also assuring the Karachi corps commander that an updated list would be presented during the next meeting.

Read: Apex committee decides to expand scope of Karachi operation

Addressing the meeting in the early minutes, Sindh’s chief minister and Karachi’s corps commander reiterated that the ongoing operation against terrorists would continue in Sindh, irrespective of party affiliations.

The meeting was also attended by Sindh Governor Dr Ishartul Ebad Khan, DG Ranger Major General Bilal Akbar, Home Secretary Mukhtiar Soomro, Home Minister Anwar Siyal, Sindh Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah, Dr Sikandar Mandhro, minister for parliamentary affairs and officials of home, intelligence agencies and law departments.

Bilawal Bhutto meets Karachi Corps Commander, DG Rangers

In a first for the PPP chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held separate meetings with Corps Commander Karachi and DG Rangers Major General Bilal Akbar before the apex committee meeting.

Sindh chief minister was present during the meeting but it was Bilawal’s first official meeting with the heads of key security institutions.

According to the CM House spokesperson, the law and order situation was discussed during the meeting.

While Bilawal expressed concern over raids conducted by Rangers at various government departments in Sindh, DG Rangers assured the PPP chairman of not taking unilateral action.

“All action will be taken with consultation of the Sindh government,” said Major General Bilal Akbar.

According to sources, General Mukhtar argued terorrists had taken shelter in Sindh government departments due to negligence of the provincial government, but was assured by Sindh CM of action against corrupt elements.

The Karachi operation was initiated by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in September 2013 to rid the metropolitan of criminal elements, irrespective of their political, ethnic or religious affiliation.

Further, in the wake of the Peshawar tragedy in December 2014, the NAP was approved by the entire political leadership to eliminate terrorism from the country.

The apex committees – headed by chief ministers of the provinces and comprising army officials and political leadership – were also formed in all the provinces for the implementation of the NAP.

‘Zero tolerance for supporters of terrorists’

Meanwhile, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon told media after the meeting there will be zero tolerance for people who support terrorists.

Informing about decisions taken during the meeting, Memon said terrorists who ran away after committing crimes would also be arrested.

“Banned outfits still exist in society, and we will take actions against them,” he said. “Those seminaries that train or brainwash people, will be cracked down upon.”

He agreed there were seminaries that spread knowledge but said seminaries involved in hate speech and preaching extremism will be brought to the book.

“Elements misused by foreign enemies will also be apprehended soon,” he said. “We will eliminate terrorism from Sindh.”

Sindh has the least crime rate keeping view the population and number of terrorists in the past, added the information minister.

COMMENTS (19)

Zahid | 9 years ago | Reply Weldon Sindh Rangers and Corp. Commander we all are agreed with you

faisal | 9 years ago | Reply @Jibran…the cc was asking as a member of the apex committee which includes him. All members of a committee can ask questions and express views/disapproval.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

OBSERVER | 9 years ago | Reply what right Bilawal has to attend the meeting...Armed forces under pressure of Zardari .Why operation only in Karachi,so many evidence against PPP memon and zardari but no raid in Bilawal house ...50 % of population of sindh and its representative no were seen in the meeting.Apex committee should declare officially operation directed only against urdu speaking and MQM

MSH | 9 years ago | Reply Those Wanted in the Corruption and Criminal Activity are part of Apex Committee .

waqar | 9 years ago | Reply Ofcourse I think every patriotic Pakistani will in favor of this operation........

imran ghori | 9 years ago | Reply Zardari economic terrorist,, his ppp party and altaf terrorist organization mqm,, directly and indirectly Supporting, protecting, promoting, terrorism, carrouption, lawless, in karachi and in interior sindh,,if action against both parties stopped target of peace not achieved,, sindh rangers continue its action against both parties for permanent peace

sam | 9 years ago | Reply Are corrupt govt and political leaders exempt? They foster terrorists due to their corrupt and incompetence way. Rangers should continue operation against all.

Sajid | 9 years ago | Reply @Jibran: You are directly opposing Rangers and indirectly favoring MQM and PPP. Every body knows what they have done to Karachi and every one knows what Rangers have done. Shame on you.

Radiohead | 9 years ago | Reply @Naeem Khan For your information Governor is no more MQM affiliated. MQM had asked for his resignation accusing him of a point man for establishment, and rightly so.

shahid | 9 years ago | Reply One feels pity for those who defend PPP's corruption and try to defend it in the name of democracy. Koi sharam, koi haya?

Ishrat salim | 9 years ago | Reply Now where are those rehoteric? Because of inherent weakness in Sindh political setup due to loot, plunder and corruption, they had no choice but to agree to what was demanded by the security establishment - crops com and dg rangers..keep kicking their butt, they understand no other language other than butt kicking.

Disgusting | 9 years ago | Reply Any meeting presided over by Qaim Shah loses its credibility.

Waseem Ch. | 9 years ago | Reply "While Bilawal expressed concern over raids conducted by Rangers at various government departments in Sindh....." Like father like son. Let us not delude ourselves as to think the Prince Bilawal is going to be any different that his father. If his concerns for Pakistan and its people like you and me were genuine, he would have at least had the moral courage to publicly speak out against the corruption and incompetence of his corrupt dad and cronies. Lets not repeat the mistake that most Pakistanis did after Benezirs death, when people illogically but out of empathy and feeling of grief for her family voted in the most corrupt and incomeptent government of the 21st century.

Naeem Khan | 9 years ago | Reply Who are they fooling, CM Qaim Ali Shah and the likes of him are the major problem in Sindh, and then we have MQM governor who has been there for ever to look after MQM interests. The whole country knows that PPP and MQM are involved in turf wars and criminal activities to finance their existence. Go after the leadership, incarcerate them according to the laws and in turn the terrorism will subside to some extent in Karachi

nk | 9 years ago | Reply terrorism and internal violence is tearing this country apart and giving us a bad name internationally. And these two charges don't even include the massive corruption that our country suffers from. For the first time in decades, the country actually trying to get its act together. Nawaz sharif has made great strides internationally with cooperation deals with china and made things better with afghanistan. The army, in all time first, is also not taking any sides and trying to rid ourselves of terrorism. that includes cleaning up the biggest city and the economic centre of the country. Any party that stands in its way is acting selfishly. I wish the voters would see and remember this and not vote for mqm or ppp next time. and yet, as a state we have the memory of a goldfish and will forget in a few days the minute either of these two parties cries "martyr".

Jibran | 9 years ago | Reply Why rangers are not going after religious seminaries belonging to the extremists? We heard of raids on the moderates like Sunni Tehreek, but what about the extremists like LeJ, ASWJ, Jamia Binoria, Lal Masjid?

Jibran | 9 years ago | Reply Why the corps commander wants to know? It's not his job. He is supposed to give summary of his inactions not demanding reports from others.

Jibran | 9 years ago | Reply It was a mistake to bring the elephant in the room. Pakistan will descend into Egyptian styled democracy.

emad | 9 years ago | Reply Under whose authority is bilawal meeting with security personal? As far NAP implementation goes, if you can't even do simple things such as as closing down seminaries then the Sindh government is not fit to stay in power

Replying to X