No criminal to be spared: Zardari

ISLAMABAD: A high level meeting on the law and order situation in Karachi held here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Friday with President Asif Ali Zardari in chair reiterated that no criminal would be spared regardless of political affiliation, if any.

The meeting was attended by Governor Sindh Dr. Ishratul Ibad Khan, Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Syed Khursheed Shah, Secretary General to the President M. Salman Faruqui, Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Hussain Wasan, Minister for Local Government Sindh Agha Siraj Durrani, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon, Sindh Minister for Law Muhammad Ayaz Soomro, Sindh Agriculture Minister Syed Ali Nawaz Shah, MNA Abdul Qadir Patel and Spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar.

Briefing the media, Spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar said that the Governor and Chief Minister Sindh briefed the meeting on the latest situation with particular reference to the spurt in the incidence of violence and targeted killings.

The meeting decided that Sindh government will approach the government of Balochistan for working out arrangements to allow pursuit by the Sindh police of gangsters, and criminals fleeing from Karachi besides stepping up surveillance of the routes leading to Karachi to keep an eye on the criminal elements and illegal movement of weapons.

The Spokesperson said the meeting also decided to beef up intelligence network in Karachi to provide real time information to the police to apprehend culprits planning criminal activities.

A committee comprising Governor, Chief Minister and Home Minister Sindh was also formed to oversee the law and order situation in Karachi.

The Committee will remain in constant touch with one another and keep the Presidency informed of the latest situation in Karachi, the Spokesperson said.

The Spokesperson said the President directed that all victims of violence be compensated immediately.

Fateha was also offered for those who had lost their lives in recent violence.

During the meeting the President also called MQM chief Altaf Hussain on the phone in London and emphasized the need to work together to fight lawlessness.

The President said that elements behind the recent spurt in violence were those who wanted to drive a wedge between the PPP and MQM.

Reciprocating the sentiment Altaf Hussain said that ending violence in Karachi was critical for peace and stability and that the MQM supported any move that was aimed at restoring peace to the city.

The President once again invited Altaf Hussain that MQM should join the government and said that the gesture will send a powerful signal to deter the crimes mafia and gangsters.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011