KARACHI: A major reshuffle in Sindh police on Thursday drew strong reaction from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) which termed the move ‘politically motivated’.

In a statement, the party’s coordination committee said the appointment of police officers “made on political grounds had exposed the motives and intentions of the government”.

“These appointments have indicated that the government wants to take action on political basis,” it said, adding: “How the actions for restoration of peace could be termed impartial and transparent when the government wants to carry out operations through its favourite officers?”

The committee regretted that the planned monitoring committee comprising members of the civil society and people from other walks of life had not yet been set up. The MQM urged the prime minister and the interior minister to immediately set up the committee so that the operations could be monitored properly.

“The targeted operation has been diverted against the MQM,” the statement said, adding: “The arrest of MQM leaders and workers and registration of false and fabricated cases have revealed their (government) cruel intention. It is now clear that the operation has been launched against the MQM.”

Meanwhile, senior MQM leader and member of the Sindh Assembly Dr Sagheer Ahmed described the ‘Karachi operation’ as a grim reminder of the 1992 action.

Addressing a press conference at the North Nazimabad sector office which was raided by police a couple of days ago, he said the operation was no more transparent and it had put a serious mark on the government’s resolve to restore peace in Karachi.

“Only MQM strongholds are raided and only our workers are being picked up,” he said, adding: “We believe in policy of peace and harmony, but the way targeted operation is being executed it reminds us of the 1992 operation, which was intended to crush the MQM, and not terrorists and criminals. That policy failed as the MQM is much stronger and respected and enjoying more than 85 per cent mandate of Karachi.”