PML-Q leader Mushahid Hussain Syed. — File Photo by APP

KARACHI: The counter-terrorism strategy of the incumbent government has turned out to be a failure and no measures are taken to address loopholes in the existing policies, said Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed.

The general secretary of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q), while speaking to media representatives at the party’s provincial headquarter on Thursday, said the presence of Rangers in Karachi for last 17 years has not improved its law and order situation.

There is a need to strengthen police force and rid it of nepotism in the better national interest, said Syed. He hoped that under new Chief Election Commissioner Fakhurdin G. Ibrahim the forthcoming general election would be fair and transparent.

Aleem Adil Shaikh, central senior vice president PML-Q, Haleem Adil Shaikh, Secretary General PML-Q Sindh and Adviser to CM for Relief and others were also present on the occasion.

The PML-Q leader said a substantial chunk of country’s budget was spent on defense, adding the Senate standing committee for Defense and defense production will soon recommend devising defense strategy policy including counter-terrorism.

Mushahid Hussein Syed, who is the head of this standing committee, said that it was disclosed in a meeting of Senate standing committee for human rights that 8,500 culprits were arrested for carrying of illegal weapons but no one was punished due to political interference.

He suggested three measures to for maintaining cordial relations with newly elected US government that include halting of drone attacks, holding dialogue on security issues and refraining from war with neighboring countries.

Syed stressed that this is a changed Pakistan and there are many power centers including active media, independent judiciary, proactive civil society and others while in the past only civil-military powers were in country.

He said that we should back our armed forces and mistakes of individuals committed in the past should not be placed on the institutions.

Lauding the verdict of the Supreme Court in the Asghar Khan case, he said that all powerful people including head of Army, Intelligence and political bigwigs have been exposed in the case.

Later, a delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) coordination committee led by Dr Sagheer Ahmed, Wasim Afatb, Wasey Jalil and others met the PML-Q leader and discussed the overall political and social situation of the country particularly Karachi’s law and order situation.