Nawaz remains cool to MQM demand for watchdog

Orders dismantling militant wings of all political parties

KARACHI:

During his one-day visit to Karachi on Thursday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif exuded indifference to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) demand for constituting a committee to monitor the ongoing operation against terrorists and other criminals in the port city.

Chairing a law and order meeting at the Governor House, PM Nawaz told the representatives of the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) that he wanted the operation to be a success, come what may. “We shall not abandon it without producing positive results. Dismantle the militant wings of all the political parties.”

Referring to the Supreme Court’s order on the city’s law and order situation, the premier said: “The apex court has also given us clear directives against these militant wings. We have a clear agenda that we shall not compromise on action against criminals.”

The meeting was attended by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, DG ISI Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar, Corps Commander Karachi Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, DG Rangers Maj Gen Bilal Akbar, Home Minister Anwar Siyal, Chief Secretary Muhammad Siddique, police chief Ghulam Hyder Jamali and intelligence officials.

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Sources told The Express Tribune that in a separate meeting DG Bilal and CM Qaim opposed the proposal of forming a monitoring committee to oversee the Karachi operation. This has been the major demand of the MQM, which claims to be a victim of the operation.

“The CM is the captain of this operation,” said the Rangers chief. “I, along with the corps commander and chief secretary, are already monitoring the situation. I think another committee will create problems.”

Qaim backed him and said: “The operation is impartial and there is no need for any committee.” Sources said that while Nawaz agreed with both of them, he would consult further on the matter.

During the briefing the premier directed Nisar to work out a comprehensive plan to launch a deweaponisation campaign across Pakistan.

Moreover, the interior minister said the militant wings of all the political parties would not be allowed to generate funds through animal hide.

DG Bilal told the meeting that an estimated 2 million animals would be slaughtered this Eidul Azha. He said the LEAs had made a strategy against those who snatch hide from people. “We shall take strict action against those who generate funds from this for terrorism.”

He also expressed distrust in investigation and prosecution by the provincial government. “One in four suspects is released due to weak prosecution.” CM Qaim assured the meeting that competent investigation officers and prosecutors were being hired to deal with criminal cases. Nawaz advised him to start a special prosecution service.

Meanwhile, the premier did not visit MQM leader Rashid Godil – who was critically wounded in a gun attack in the city’s Bahadurabad area on Tuesday – but he assured that his government would bring the attackers to book.

Police chief Jamali informed the meeting that the footage taken from a CCTV camera in the vicinity was grainy so it was sent to London for enhancement.

Nawaz told CM Qaim to take action against the company that had installed “substandard” CCTV cameras that could not capture clear footage.

PM Nawaz also said his government would arrest the people responsible for Punjab home minister Col (retd) Shuja Khanzada’s killing. The minister was killed in a suicide attack in Attock on Sunday.

Sindh govt’s complaint

CM Qaim told the premier that all the federal agencies had become “unnecessarily aggressive” in the province.

He said the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had no jurisdiction in provincial matters.

“Sindh is under attack. Seventy per cent of our bureaucracy has almost stopped working. The performance of the government machinery has been adversely affected because of frequent raids by FIA and NAB.”

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Nisar assured him that he would talk to the FIA. “They would take the chief secretary into confidence before any inquiry. However, NAB isn’t under the federal government.” Regarding NAB, Qaim said his government might approach the court.

‘Parsis more patriotic’

Addressing a reception hosted in his honour by the city’s Parsi community at a hotel, Premier Nawaz lauded their services in various sectors. “You are more patriotic than the rest of us.”

He said the community had played a major role in Pakistan’s development through huge investments, adding that businessmen had earlier moved abroad, but now that the LEAs had curbed terrorism, kidnappings for ransom and extortion, they were returning home. “We shall defeat these terrorists and Pakistan will become a prosperous country.”

K-2 nuclear power project

Earlier, Nawaz addressed the first concrete pouring ceremony of the K-2 nuclear power project at the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (Kanupp).

Highlighting the excellent cooperation between Pakistan and China in peaceful use of nuclear energy, the premier said the project would help the country meet its energy shortfall.

Inaugurating the ceremony, he said he was pleased to note the pace of progress, as he had performed the groundbreaking of Kanupp-2 and Kanupp-3 in November 2013.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2015.