Nawaz Sharif... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf...
on Tuesday vowed not to politicise a planned solution to restore peace to Bloody Karachi
...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
and hoped others would cooperate with the federal government in doing so.
The premier arrived in the picturesque provincial capital earlier this morning, a day before he was scheduled to preside over the federal cabinet session on the port city's deteriorating law and order situation. The crucial session on Wednesday is expected to decide on a planned targeted operation against criminal gangs and armed militias of political groups, whose deadly pie fight has ruined peace in the country's economic hub.
Sharif held a meeting with representatives of all major political parties after arriving in Karachi, including the Pakistain People's Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement
...English: United National Movement, generally known as MQM, is the 3rd largest political party and the largest secular political party in Pakistain with particular strength in Sindh. From 1992 to 1999, the MQM was the target of the Pak Army's Operation Cleanup leaving thousands of urdu speaking civilians dead...
(MQM), Jamaat-e-Islami
...
The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka
The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an
independentbranch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores...
, Sunni Tehrik
...formed in Karachi in 1992 under by Muhammad Saleem Qadri. It quickly fell to trading fisticuffs and assassinations with the MQM and the Sipah-e-Sahaba, with at least a half dozen of its major leaders rubbed out. Sunni Tehreek arose to become the primary opposition to the Deobandi Binori Mosque, headed by Nizamuddin Shamzai, who was eventually bumped off by person or persons unknown. ST's current leadership has heavily criticized the Deobandi Jihadi leaders, accusing them of being sponsored by Indian Intelligence agencies as well as involvement in terrorist activities...
and Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam
...Assembly of Islamic Clergy, or JUI, is a Pak Deobandi (Hanafi) political party. There are two main branches, one led by Maulana Fazlur Rahman, and one led by Maulana Samiul Haq. Fazl is active in Pak politix and Sami spends more time running his madrassah. Both branches sponsor branches of the Taliban, though with plausible deniability...
-Fazl (JUI-F). The meeting was also attended by Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah and Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ibad.
Speaking at the meeting, Sharif stressed that he had come as the prime minister of the entire country and not just as representative of the Pakistain Moslem League -- Nawaz (PML-N).
"Karachi is the most important city and the economic hub of Pakistain. Unemployment will rise if the unrest in Karachi is not quelled," he said. "Peace is imperative to bring foreign investment into Pakistain."
The PM said that his government wished to restore peace to the city, and said he respected the mandates of all political parties. He assured that his administration was ready to extend all support to the Sindh government.
Earlier, the MQM and the federal government appeared to be heading on a collision course after news trickled in that an earlier invitation to MQM leader Farooq Sattar to attend the cabinet meeting on Wednesday had been withdrawn.