KARACHI, Dec 1: Saying that he was not satisfied with efforts of the leaders of the three major partners in the coalition government to put a stop to the persisting violence in the city, Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza on Monday termed the on-going killings and disturbances in the city a conspiracy against the country, which should be seen in the current international situation.

Speaking on the floor of house, he said he had earlier issued verbal orders to shoot trouble-makers at sight, but now he had issued orders in writing to the law-enforcement agencies, the Rangers and police, to shoot at sight any one seen carrying arms on the streets.

The home minister was responding to points of orders raised by half a dozen members across the house, which reverberated with the talk of the violent situation in the city, soon after the house was called to order at 11.30am. Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza was in the chair.

Recalling that for the last one week he had had the feeling that a volcano was about to erupt in the city and for that purpose he had tried to collect inputs from all intelligence agencies. He said the tragic situation was deplorable.

The home minister said we claimed to have a heavy mandate in Sindh, particularly in Karachi, and if we were sincere to ourselves and come out of homes and move out in the neighbourhoods, no enemy could ignite the fire in Karachi. “If sincere efforts are made, things could be controlled within six hours,” he said.

Quoting official figures, he said the violence had claimed 20 lives, and left wounded over 100 persons, including children and women.

He gave detail of the sensitive and affected areas. Of the 103 police stations across the city, 10 were sensitive and troubled areas, where physical violence, shooting and killing were witnessed, he said, adding that in four other police stations violence had been sporadic.

The home minister also recalled efforts made by the Pakistan People’s Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movemnt and Awami National Party leadership to overcome the law and order situation and expressed his gratitude to those who had shown courage and visited party headquarters of one another. In this connection, he also referred to the contribution of the Sindh governor and friends of the federal government, and said a press conference was also jointly addressed at which it was stated that “We don’t want violence and we want peace in Karachi.”

However, this spirit of the message was not conveyed to the relevant quarters except through the media. He said to stop bloodletting was not the responsibility of the government alone but that of “everyone of us”.

He recalled the difficulties being faced in maintaining law and order in the city of 18 million people by the available police force of 30,000 to 40,000, of whom 80 per cent were recruited and promoted on political grounds. He said it would take time to overcome the shortcomings and to control the situation.

He sought cooperation of everyone, asking them to consider it their own responsibility to help the government in its efforts to curb violence. He added that it was in the interest of all that peace prevailed in Karachi, the economic hub of the country, and any disturbance in the city cast its shadow on the whole country.

Sindh Information Minister Shazia Marri condemned the city violence and said it was a matter of shame that women were insulted and children wounded by miscreants during disturbances.

Leader of MQM Parliamentary Party Syed Sardar Ahmad expressed his full confidence in the home minister’s efforts to rein in the situation, pointing out that miscreants had no caste, colour or creed. They were planted to create trouble and disturbances in the city. Deputy leader of MQM Parliamentary Party Syed Faisal Sabzwari said his party fully supported the steps taken by the government to control the situation. He stressed the need to identify the miscreants and to apprehend them.

He held Afghan nationals residing in and around Sohrab Goth responsible for blocking the Super Highway near Sohrab Goth which triggered the current crisis. They looted vehicles with impunity, he alleged.

He said his party MPA Manzar Imam and a town nazim, who were visiting various affected localities to help calm the situation, were fired upon in Raees Amrohvi Colony.

He gave assurance on behalf of his party that they would work together with other coalition partners to restore normalcy to the city and said terrorism or fighting was not the solution to any problem.

Mr Sabzwari said the international scenario all the more called for unity among the people when Pakistan forces might be asked to defend its borders.

Leader of the Opposition Jam Madad Ali supported the efforts of the government to bring law and order situation under control, and said that the opposition was prepared to shoulder the responsibility given to it to restore peace to the city.

He proposed the formation of committees comprising of senior citizens, leaders of political parties and media representatives which should visit disturbed areas to help create harmony among residents of the localities.

Law Minister Ayaz Soomro informed the house that as he had promised to submit a report regarding investigation into the allegations of a dacoity and kidnapping of a woman on Abul Hasan Ispahani Road as was pointed out by PML-F MPA Nusrat Abbasi, the capital city police officer had stated that no such incident had occurred in that area in the past one month.

PPP MPA Tariq Masood Arain, who was elected from the constituency of President Asif Zardari, agitating against the failure of the law minister to resolve the issue of forcibly occupying 100 acres of land of his relative, Mohammad Sharif Arain, by Bhawal Zardari and setting up a housing society on it in the name of the late Benazir Bhutto, on Monday staged a protest sit-in before the rostrum of the speaker. Sindh Ministers Jam Saifullah Dharejo, Agha Siraj Durrani and Dr Zulfiqar Mirza persuaded Mr Arain to accompany them to discuss the issue.

Later, the home minister informed the house that as the matter was sub judice, it could not be discussed. However, he promised that he would try to help settle it amicably between the two parties.