LAHORE, Nov 19: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has called for action against militant wings of political parties presently part of the ruling alliance and the call has been seconded by the Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl, another major opposition party in the parliament.

Recalling that the Supreme Court had in its judgment on Karachi law and order case sought elimination of militant wings of political parties in the port city, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has demanded that the People’s Party government should disband its own militant wing and of its coalition partners.

“Peace and law and order cannot be restored to the port city as long as militant wings of the PPP and its allied parties exist,” he told reporters here on Monday.

Responding to a question about Federal Minister Khurshid Shah’s statement regarding operation in Karachi, he said Mr Shah must talk to his (PPP) government for the operation as the minister was part of the government and not the opposition.

“Everyday a statement is issued instead of apprehending the culprits,” he said, criticizing the administration for doing lip service instead of taking practical steps for tackling the menace of terrorism.

Nawaz was prime minister in June 1992 when Operation Clean-up (also known as Operation Blue Fox) had been launched in Karachi. The period is known as the bloodiest time in the history of Karachi.

He regretted that terror incidents were taking place daily but the government was failing to arrest the accused.

He demanded that the government should round up the culprits instead of banning pillion riding and suspending cell phone services.

He said next elections would be a test case for the masses. If the masses could not take the right decision, they themselves would be to be blamed (for their deteriorating conditions), he warned.

Meanwhile, the JUI-F has also demanded that the ruling parties should dissolve their militant wings for restoring peace to Karachi.

Speaking at a press conference here, secretary-general Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said “unless the ruling coalition parties disbanded their militant wings and conduct an across the board operation lasting peace cannot be ensured in the port city.”

Asked if the armed forces could be called for the operation, he said his party had always opposed handing over the city to the army since military operations never proved useful in solving issues and eliminating violence.

He recalled that military operations in Fata, Swat and Karachi did not yield results, while five army operations in Balochistan added fuel to militancy and violence there.