The situation in the wake of assassination of former prime minister and PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto came under review at a high-level meeting held under the chairmanship of caretaker Sindh Home Minister Brigadier Akhtar Zamin (Retd) to discuss the strategy to deal with it.
Those attending the meeting were the Home Secretary Brigadier Ghulam Mohammed Mohtaram (Retd), IG Sindh Zia-ul-Hasan Khan, and CCPO Karachi Azhar Ali Farooqi.
Akhtar Zamin said on the occasion that taking advantage of the mourning by the PPP workers on the death of their leader, the criminal, anti-state and mischievous elements became active throughout the province and appealed to people to thwart the conspiracy of such elements, who are out to create anarchy in the province at the time when the entire nation had plunged into deep grief and shock.
He told them to see wisdom and exercise utmost patience and restraint because the only agenda of the anti-state elements is to de-stabilise Pakistan and create anarchy in the country. He informed the meeting that he had remained in Larkana on the occasion of burial of PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto and kept monitoring the situation as well as law and order in co-operation with the local administration.
He also referred to his talks with PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim when he conveyed him the condolence messages from President Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro, Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad Khan and Chief Minister Abdul Qadir Halepota.
Akhtar Zamin said he returned to Karachi only after all the people, who had participated in the burial of their leader, dispersed quietly. He said the criminal elements caused a big loss to the country by taking advantage of mourning, and it has been decided that in future strict action will be taken against those involved in looting, arson and plundering.
The meeting took stock of the situation arising from the closure of petrol pumps, and the home minister talked to Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association President Abdul Sami Khan and called for immediate reopening of petrol pumps. Sami Khan assured the home minister of reopening the petrol pumps, but requested for provision of proper security.
Meanwhile, petrol pumps had started re-opening in various parts of the city since Saturday night, following the home minister's directive. The transportation of essential commodities to Karachi also started. Trucks of vegetables and fruits were moving towards Karachi under the Rangers' escort, while milk supply to the city also resumed.
A number of shops in various city areas also re-opened last Saturday evening and supply of bread, eggs, milk and other items of daily-use also started. The city was limping towards normality with increasing flow in traffic. However, public transport remained off the road because of security apprehensions. However, private cars, motorcycles, taxis and rickshaws were plying in increased numbers.