KARACHI: Governor, CM order review of security: Terrorist attack condemned
KARACHI, March 2: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad and Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim have strongly condemned the bombing incident close to the US consulate here on Thursday, and asked the law-enforcement agencies to trek down the culprits and beef up security.
The governor, who visited the scene of the bomb attack behind Marriott Hotel, has said that the government had succeeded in arresting those responsible for the earlier blasts, and this time too, it will not let the culprits escape from the clutches of law.
Talking to journalists at the scene, where DG Rangers Maj-Gen Javed Zia, IGP Jehangir Mirza, CCPO Niaz Ahmed Siddiqi, DIG Operations Mushtaq Shah, DIG Investigation Manzoor Mughal and other senior officials were also present, the governor said that the purpose of the blast was to send to the world the wrong message that Muslims were terrorists.
“We will bring the terrorists to justice as we have done in the past,” he declared.
He said that the terrorists had focussed on Pakistan and they would select such targets to damage the image of Pakistan and Muslims. “But we want to tell the world that no Muslim considers terrorism a correct path.”
Dr Ibad said that the experts were examining the security arrangements from different angles to identify the loopholes. The area of investigation, he added, had been expanded and different investigation teams constituted. Hopefully, the culprits would be brought to justice soon, he said.
Governor Dr Ibad chaired a high-level meeting at the Governor’s House to review law and order on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by Home Minister Rauf Siddiqi, Adviser to the CM on Information Salahuddin Haider, Chief Secretary Fazlur Rehman, DG Rangers Maj- Gen Javed Zia, City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal, IGP Jehangir Mirza, CCPO Niaz Ahmed Siddiqi, Special Home Secretary Rasheed Alam, DCO Fazlur Rehman, DIG Mushtaq Shah and senior officials of intelligence agencies.
After having an appraisal of the situation, the governor issued necessary directives for investigation into the incident and early arrest of those involved.
He noted that the steps taken in the province to cope with the international wave of terrorism and to eliminate terrorists, were significant.
He said that the efforts for ensuring effective security to the life and property of people be strengthened further, and stressed on cooperation among people, law-enforcement agencies and the administration in this regard.
Dr Ibad appreciated the prompt response and coordinated on the part of police, Rangers, fire brigade and other organizations after bombing, and particularly praised the Rangers for their appropriate action to resist the terrorist attack. He acknowledged that the situation might have been worse if the Rangers had not posed the resistance.
The meeting also reviewed the situation in the context of the opposition’s strike call for Friday, and impressed upon the participants of the meeting to maintaining a strict vigil on saboteurs.
HIGH ALERT: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim on Thursday ordered high security alert in Karachi and directed police and other law-enforcement agencies to take concrete steps for combating acts of terrorism in the province.
He also ordered a high-level inquiry aimed at identifying the loopholes in the security system which led to the bombing within the ‘high security zone’.
The chief minister was presiding over an emergency meeting of senior officials at the CM’s House to review law and order. The meeting was attended by Home Minister Rauf Siddiqi, Chief Secretary Fazlur Rehman, IGP Jehangir Mirza, DG Sindh Rangers, Home Secretary, CCPO, AIGs, DIG Investigation and other officials of the sensitive agencies.
Dr Arbab ordered beefed up security in the area where the bombing took place, and called for a strict watch with regard to parking of vehicles around the vicinity of the US consulate.
He also ordered setting up of a three-member committee to investigate the incident, and said that a report of the probe be submitted to him.
The chief minister directed the officials concerned to install surveillance cameras and intensify patrolling in sensitive areas.
Earlier, he was briefed about the details of bomb blast.
The chief minister visited the scene of Thursday’s bombing where he told media that investigation into the incident was under way. He said it would be premature to attribute the attack to anyone at this point of time.
Meanwhile, according to a handout issued here on Thursday, Chief Minister Dr Arbab Rahim talked to the US Consul General by phone and strongly condemned the blast near the US consulate.
He also expressed deep sorrow and grief over the loss of lives in the incident.
Dr Arbab assured the US envoy that security steps for the mission and the areas around its vicinity would be enhanced and strengthened further.
He pledged foolproof arrangements to ensure that no such incident took place in this high security area again.—APP/PPI
