De-weaponisation Bill: PML-N supports MQM's move in National Assembly

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday favoured Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) move pertaining to de-weaponisation of the country and urged the authorities to give a strong message to all the political stakeholders for restoring peace in Karachi.
Speaking at a news conference, PML-N's spokesman Siddiq-ul-Farooq said that illegal weapons should be collected across the country, however, added that procedure of acquiring arms' license for self-protection should be made easier. The PML-N leader, who was responding to a question regarding De-weaponisation Bill, 2011, submitted by MQM to the National Assembly Secretariat, said that he believes in eradication of all kinds of illegal weapons from the country. He said that Karachi is an industrial hub of the country where everyone should play his role for the restoration of peace.
Farooq, who is also PML-N's co-ordinator in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), while lashing out at chief minister Syed Mehdi Shah for his alleged failure to check target killing and warned his government to arrest the accused involved in assassination attempt of PML-N workers, Jafarullah Khan and Salamat Khan within seven days otherwise, he warned that they would hold the chief minister responsible for the life attempts on them.
"I am giving this message in clear words to Syed Mehdi Shah to arrest the accused involved in murder attempts of the PML-N workers within seven days, otherwise we will hold you responsible for the attempts," he warned, adding that the target killing incidents suggest that the local government has completely failed in providing protection to the citizens.
He also asked the chief ministerof GB and his government to avoid 'filthy' propaganda campaign against PML-N, adding that Syed Mehdi Shah and the local Pakistan People's Party was worried over the increasing popularity of the PML-N in the area. Farooq alleged Syed Mehdi Shah for spreading hatred against PML-N among the people of GB, adding that PML-N does not believe in politics of victimisation and is a liberal political force with strong belief in constitution, democracy and Islamic injunctions.
He also urged Ulema of various schools of thoughts to play their role in restoration of peace in Gilgit-Baltistan and elsewhere in the country. The PML-N leader added that Gilgit-Balististan was very sensitive area, bordering India and China, the continued incidents of target killing was condemnable even in the presence of police, rangers, frontier constabulary, Gilgit Scouts and intelligence agencies. "Up to Rs 500 million are being spent annually in the name of restoration of peace in Gilgit-Balitistan but instead the local government is unable to check the incidents of terrorism in a city merely encompassing five squares kilometer," he said.