Police depoliticalisation vital: chief minister Punjab suggests clampdown against extortionists, target killers

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif here on Friday proposed ruthless clampdown on extortionists and target killers to restore peace in the country's largest city, warning that Karachi's unrest could destabilise Pakistan. Speaking at Karachi Press Club's "meet the press" function, he said there was need of strictest possible action, which he described as a "ruthless operation" against extortionists and target killers, to bring peace back to the metropolis.
"These extortionists and target killers should be treated with an iron hand," he added. He said the de-politicisation of police and administration and provision of basic amenities to the huge population of the city were also important to solve the poor state of law and order. He said these were the short- and medium-term propositions towards enabling the society, plagued by the continued terrorism of target killings.
He ruled out unconstitutional steps to restore peace in the city, saying that his party was in favour of legal actions to eliminate the menace of terrorism, and added that there were several constitutional ways to deal with Karachi unrest. Shahbaz warned that fall of Karachi to the continued unrest would risk Pakistan's stability, as the seaport city was the prime economic hub of the nation. He said that no country in the world under the present economic downturn was ready to assist Pakistan financially; rather at strict compromising and embarrassing conditions.
He said the Punjab government had rejected such conditional financial aid, and blamed the federal government for taking the international assistance, saying that "aid is not the solution to the nation's problems, but struggle is needed to overcome these challenges".
The Punjab CM exemplified the Chinese nation which had attained the glory in economic, social, technological fields after breaking the shackles of imperialists and taken the independent path as a sovereign state.
He said that Karachi's importance was greater, for it had embraced people from all parts of Pakistan, sheltered and provided them with economic opportunities, equally. He said Karachi's problem could be solved only if the whole nation stepped up together. "Situation in Karachi is bad, undoubtedly, and it is difficult to solve, but not impossible," he said.
Shahbaz said the PML-N could not play role in Sindh's politics particularly in the Karachi's context because his party was facing organisational issues and uncompromising violent political trend of the city. Besides, he said, those parties were primarily responsible for contributing to peace in the city which Sindh's people had given political mandate.
Regarding abduction of Punjab governor Salman Taseer's son, Shahbaz Taseer in Lahore, he said his government would leave no stone unturned to ensure his safe recovery, and added he was personally looking into the matter. He said the Punjab government had provided the late Taseer family with 26 personnel from police, Rangers and elite force for its members protection, adding that today he did not take the escort and went on his own, which resulted in his abduction.
He agreed that lower courts could not play their role in solving the public problems. However, he lauded the performance of the apex court. About the Anna Hazzare's movement, he said his role was laudable and imitable but Pakistan has so many such voices and figures to bring out the nation from problems. The Punjab CM said his visit to Karachi was aimed at knowing things about the city's continued unrest, and t meet several people including trades, industrialists, intellectuals etc.