| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| ANP, JUI-F for army operation in Karachi |
| 2010-08-07 |
| The Pakistan People's Party-led government faces a tough situation in the near future, as two of its coalition partners, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and the Awami National Party, in Thursday's Senate session, demanded that Karachi be handed over to the army in order to resolve the law and order situation in the city. Members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement staged a walkout from the proceedings, alleging that the federal and the Sindh government were not taking any measures to stop the bloodshed in the country's financial hub. In a charged atmosphere where members were demanding to be allowed to speak, acting chairman Jan Jamali rescued the government by abruptly reading the prorogation order to avoid a potential clash between component parties in the ruling coalition. The session is scheduled to continue until today (Friday). The leader of the House made an aborted attempt to cool down the situation by saying that it was the provincial government, which could request the army to take control of any troubled area and in case of Karachi, it was the Sindh government that can call the army if it felt like it. Participating in the debate, Senator Haji Adeel said that police, rangers and other law enforcement agencies, as well as the provincial government, had failed to stop target killing of Pakhtuns in Karachi. He urged the government to call the army in Karachi to restore peace in the city. Federal Minister for Science and Technology Azam Swati said the situation in Karachi was worsening by the day. "If you want to save Karachi, the face and index of Pakistan, then de-weaponies it. Police and rangers have failed to maintain peace in the city so the deployment of the armed forces is inevitable," he said. Leader of the House, Senator Nayyar Hussain Bukhari said that warfare in the city was the provincial government's subject, which could request the army to take control of any troubled area in the city. He said the country was faced with a critical situation and if it did not tackle the issue on time, future generations would never pardon the country's current leadership. "There should be ban on display of arms and only that can guarantee the restoration of peace in Karachi," he added. MQM member Tahir Mashhadi said the interior minister had sought 24 hours to restore peace in Karachi, but the situation was worsening day by day. He said the minister had informed the House about the involvement of Sipah-e-Sahaba in killing a party MPA, but so far no action has been taken against the perpetrators. Also, senators belonging to the MQM walked out of the proceeding in protest against target killings in Karachi. Muhammad Ali Durrani requested all political parties in Karachi to hold a peace march in the city to exhibit political unity, describing it as the only possible solution. |
| Posted by:Fred |