KARACHI: Amid resentment and criticism from certain political circles over the ‘Karachi operation’, the military establishment came up with a clear line on Tuesday that there would be no let-up in actions by law enforcement agencies “to ensure a peaceful and terror-free Karachi”.

Soon after the PML-N government assured the Muttahida Qaumi Movement of setting up a committee to redress its grievances on the ‘Karachi operation’, mainly against Pakistan Rangers, the fresh resolve of the military establishment came from the top when Army Chief General Raheel Sharif visited the corps headquarters in Karachi, praised paramilitary soldiers and other law enforcement agencies for their role in bringing “significant improvement” in the city’s security and reiterated that the exercise would continue not only to eliminate “terrorism, criminal mafias and violence” but also “corruption”.

“The Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif was briefed on the latest security situation in Karachi,” said a brief statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations after a meeting presided over by General Sharif at the corps headquarters to review the Karachi security situation and progress of the ongoing operation.

Corps Commander, Karachi, Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar, Director General of Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, Major General Bilal Akbar, Sindh IG Ghulam Hyder Jamali, Karachi police chief Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar and Sindh Chief Secretary Siddiq Memon were among those who attended the meeting.

Increase in the number of military courts in Karachi to handle important cases of terrorism approved

“The army chief commended all ranks of Rangers, police, intelligence agencies, above all the support of Karachi people for significant improvement in security environment. He said that across-the-board operation would continue to eliminate terrorists, criminals and mafias from Karachi,” according to the statement.

The army chief’s visit to Karachi came after a series of political developments, mainly en mass resignation of MQM legislators from the National Assembly, the Senate and the Sindh Assembly in protest against “the excesses of law enforcement agencies in the name of Karachi law and order operation”.

Although the MQM agreed to reconsider its decision of quitting the legislatures after the government assured it that a committee would be formed to redress its grievances, the ISPR suggested in a statement that there would be hardly any change in the existing line of action from law enforcement agencies as far as the ‘Karachi operation’ was concerned.

The ISPR added: “The army chief approved an increase in the number of military courts in Karachi to handle outstanding terrorist cases. To augment the capacity of Karachi police, in addition to their training, equipment worth Rs65 million is being handed over to Karachi police.”

Sources in the Sindh government said that the earlier approved number of military courts for Karachi stood at six and with a fresh nod for more military officers-manned courts, it was bound to rise.

Regarding assistance for Karachi police, they said that the army had arranged Rs65m ammunition, modern equipment and security gadgets for the city’s law enforcement agency, which would be handed over to the Sindh IG at a ceremony expected on Wednesday.

It’s not only the MQM which is uncomfortable with the ‘Karachi operation’, but the PPP-led Sindh government has also found the Rangers crossing limits on a few occasions.

In June, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah accused the Rangers of ‘acting beyond their authority’ in Karachi and asked its chief to ‘limit’ movement of his men in line with the rules after the Rangers soldiers “raided” the Sindh Building Control Authority and the Lines Area Development Project offices.

The army chief, however, seemed determined to move against corruption, which he believed was a part of “evil nexus”.

“The army chief directed to break the evil nexus between terrorism, criminal mafias, violence and corruption to ensure a peaceful and terror-free Karachi,” the ISPR said.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2015

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