Interior Minister Rehman Malik's claim that he has saved Karachi from a 'big' disaster following the arrest of 90 target killers is being challenged by Awami National Party, Sindh chapter which maintains that peace cannot be restored unless the city is handed over to military to deweaponise it completely.
Talking to Business Recorder, ANP Sindh chapter secretary-general Amin Khattak said peace cannot prevail in the city with its population of over 13 million unless curfew is imposed by the military till the city is completely deweaponised. "Unless and until huge quantities of weapons are confiscated no peace can prevail in Karachi," he said, adding that Rangers and police have completely failed to deal with the situation and Karachi should be handed over for a limited period to Pak Army to cleanse it from all kinds of weapons.
He said action should be taken against all mafias ie drug Mafia, land Mafia, etc, and added that Karachi is the backbone of the country's economy and a single day's strike in Karachi causes a loss of Rs 3 billion. "Our demand is not MQM-specific but we want that all criminals whether they are Pushto speaking, Urdu speaking, Baloch, Sindhis or any other group, should be dealt with sternly," he added.
He said ANP was ready to take any step for peace in the financial hub of the country and ensure security of the common citizen. To a question whether ANP will support Muttahida Qaumi Movement's Deweaponisation of Pakistan Bill 2011, he said there was no need of further legislation as the country's Constitution includes clauses relating to who is allowed to possess weapons.
He, however, suggested that all political groups including MQM should come to the 'table' for talks to resolve the Karachi issue. According to media reports more than 90 people have lost their lives in Karachi since the beginning of the year 2011 as violence continues to plague the country's financial hub.