KARACHI:-
(Agencies) - Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Hussain Wassan asserted on Tuesday that the government’s writ would be ensured in Karachi at every cost, saying the Sindh government could take firm steps to maintain law and order in the business hub city, but its aim was to take all stakeholders along while taking important decisions.
“I can take strict measures to restore peace in Karachi. But my purpose is to take all stakeholders with me because people hailing from different races, sects, languages are living in Karachi,” asserted Wassan while talking to the media.
He said it was the vision of President Asif Ali Zardari to take along all parties for the sake of peace and that it was in the interest of all inhabitants of Sindh. Wassan, while admitting that “Karachi is a den of illegal weapons”, contended that some miscreants had been creating trouble in the city since 1985. “Karachi has to be cleansed of illegal weapons.”
The minister told reporters that law enforcement agencies had rounded up over 100 suspects during a search operation in various neighbourhoods in Karachi, adding that arms and ammunition had also been retrieved from the miscreants apprehended from Gulistan-e-Johar. He claimed that the government was trying for effective implementation of the writ of law and elimination of criminal and unscrupulous elements. “It is due to this approach that action has been initiated, since Monday evening, against those creating law and order situation.”
He said that the search operation would continue and investigations were underway to identify the real culprits behind the recent mayhem.
The minister said that Karachi was the hub of business, therefore, peace in the mega city was vital for improving image of Pakistan in the world. The government, he maintained, supported commissionerate system in the province but as the people were not satisfied with the “black law” of dictator Pervez Musharraf, it should be changed.
In reply to a question, Wassan said the government would never allow germination of any sense of insecurity among the people of Sindh. The ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had rendered great sacrifices for the cause of Sindh, he averred while saying, “PPP’s share of sacrifice for Sindh is much more than any other political party.”
Meanwhile, US Consul General William J Martin, during a meeting with Manzoor Wassan at his (Wassan’s) residence on Tuesday, said that the United States would provide updated gadgets to the Sindh government for maintenance of peace in the province, particularly in Karachi.
The US diplomat said that cooperation and coordination in other sectors would also be offered to the provincial government.
Briefing the media on his meeting with the US consul general, Wassan said the US official noted that peace was crucial for the business hub of Pakistan.
Wassan told Martin that peace had to be restored in Karachi to dispel the negative impression created on foreign investors and international community in general about the city.
The Sindh home minister asserted that there were drug mafia, land mafia and other criminal elements who were responsible for law and order situation in the province
