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Pakistan army concerned at Karachi unrest

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Sept 4 , IRNA -- Pakistan’s powerful military has once again shown concern at the turmoil in the country’s commercial hub of Karachi and called for an indiscriminate and effective action for restoration of peace.

It is the third time in two months that the army has expressed its alarm over the ethnic and sectarian violence which has claimed lives of nearly 500 people in 60 days.

Top military commanders last month expressed concern over the spate of killings in Karachi, the city of around 18 million multi-ethnic communities.

Spokesman of the army’s chief Major General Athar Abbas called for a broad-based and targeted operation at real culprits in Karachi, which would show the army’s anxiety over the situation in the port city.

The government has given additional powers to the paramilitary force and the police to end violence but incidents of targeted killings, kidnappings and extortion of money were still underway.

The spokesman added the military was concerned about the situation because it had affected the whole country.

He called for an even-handed and across-the-board action by the civilian law enforcement agencies to solve the problem.

“It is the duty of the law enforcement agencies to ensure indiscriminate action against all terrorists and law-breakers to restore peace in the city,” he said.

The military has, so far, avoided commenting on the situation in order to spare the civilian authorities’ blushes. But its officials in private discussions have been critical of the way the civilian government was handling the situation, reflecting the disquiet in their ranks.

Some 1,400 people have been killed in Karachi this year. The unrest has caused billions of rupees of losses to the national economy as business and industry in the city frequently come to a standstill because of the law and order situation, local media said.

“The operation will have to go deep down for an enduring solution to the problem,” the senior military official said, adding that political elements backing terrorists should be compelled to end their support.

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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30547727