Army ready to restore peace in Karachi: Kayani

ISLAMABAD: Army is ready to help stem a tide of political and ethnic violence in Karachi, if the civilian government asked it to do so, a newspaper on Sunday quoted army chief as saying.

The comments by General Ashfaq Kayani came amid growing calls by political parties and business groups for the army to step in to stop worsening security situation in the commercial hub of the country where about 900 people have been killed in violence this year, almost a third of them in July.

The News said Kayani expressed "grave concern" over the security situation in Karachi and said the army was "ready, if the government called on it, to control the situation."

But he also said police and paramilitary would, if properly deployed, be able to stem the unrest.

"Karachi is the jugular vein of country's economy and it will be great injustice if the deteriorating law and order situation is allowed to continue for a longer period," the newspaper quoted him as saying.

Analysts say the army already fighting a growing insurgency by Taliban and other militants is unlikely, at least for now, to heed calls of intervention.

Karachi contributes about two-third of Pakistan's tax revenue and is home to ports, the stock exchange and central bank and on Saturday, business leaders called on the army to intervene to stop the violence.

Copyright Reuters, 2011