Security forces have killed over 180 militants affiliated with different proscribed organisations and 700 other criminals involved in various cases of dacoities, kidnapping and extortion, during the ongoing targeted operation in Karachi since September 2013.
Official sources said that following the recent meeting of the apex committee in Sindh province, the law enforcement agencies have widened the scope of the third phase of targeted operation in Karachi and intensified action against the members of different banned outfits.
During the first phase of Karachi operation, the law enforcement agencies arrested 40,000 suspected criminals, including terrorists, of whom 13,000 have been sent to jail, they said. Sources said the law enforcement agencies have also initiated a stern action against non-registered seminaries in Sindh and closed down many unregistered seminaries in various parts of the province. They said the seminaries shut by the government will be allowed to be opened only after they are duly registered with the government.
They said that strict directives have been issued to Deputy Commissioners of all districts to take action against those people who set up new seminaries or mosques without taking no-objection certificates (NOCs) from the government. Sources said that the law enforcement agencies have also planned to repatriate 2.7 million Afghan refugees till the end of this year and so far they have arrested 500 Afghan refugees in different parts of the province.
However, talking to Business Recorder, MQM'S leader Syed Asif Hasnain said that the ongoing operation in Karachi is not moving in the right direction as law enforcement agencies are only targeting MQM workers and other innocent people while members of banned outfits are stalking the city.
"Despite the tall claims of the government targeted killings, sectarian activities and attacks on professionals, including doctors and teachers are continuing without any check in Karachi," he said. He said the operation should not be conducted against a particular party and that it should be across the board. A proper monitoring committee comprising impartial judges and retired bureaucrats should be set up to monitor the Karachi operation and the government also needs to arrange public hearings in this regard, he said.
Afzal Ali Shigri, former IG Sindh, said the results of the ongoing targeted operation in Karachi are not satisfactory. "Only the arrest of criminals and terrorists would not help maintain peace in Karachi but there is a dire need to improve criminal justice system to ensure timely punishment to criminals and terrorists," he said. He said that capacity-building of police, an increase in number of courts and depoliticization of police in Karachi are the requisite steps towards bringing peace to Karachi.
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