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Updated 21 Jun, 2017 01:47pm

Mustafa Kamal questions rationale behind 'Operation Raddul Fasaad'

Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) Chairperson Mustafa Kamal on Saturday questioned the army over its recently launched 'Operation Raddul Fasaad', asking why another military action was launched when previous ones had not reached completion.

Kamal, while speaking at a press conference in Karachi, also raised concerns about the civilian leadership's response to terror attacks in the country.

Rebuffing the federal government for failing to implement the National Action Plan (NAP), Kamal recalled that the Army was only responsible for putting two of the 20 points laid down in NAP whereas the rest were the Centre's responsibility.

"Would you also ask the military to work on the remaining 18?" Kamal asked, saying the federal government must devolve powers to local governments at its earliest.

He further said provincial administrations have been "over-centralised", with most of the authority to dictate matters lying with provincial chief ministers.

Districts do not have enough autonomy to overcome challenges on the grassroots level, "where terrorists are born", Kamal added.

Kamal further thrashed the Nawaz government for allowing Rangers personnel to be deployed in Punjab.

The province had earlier requested the federal government to deploy over 2,000 Rangers personnel, who would be given policing powers to conduct intelligence-based operations wherever required and with full authority.

Kamal said the Rangers were deployed in Sindh decades ago, in an apparent dig at the continued law and order situation in the province. "Does the government think deploying them in Punjab will achieve peace within months?" Kamal added.

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