The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani has called a meeting of Corps Commanders on September 8 to discuss the law and order situation in Karachi and serious allegations levelled by former Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza against the MQM and Interior Minister Rahman Malik recently.
This would be the second meeting to discuss the situation in Karachi. Sources in Defence Ministry told Business Recorder that General Kayani would share with the corps commanders the information that he gathered from heads of law enforcement agencies during his recent visit to Karachi.
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani flew to Karachi on Wednesday to get a detailed briefing on the situation in the violence-hit port city where 300 people died in the past few weeks. The COAS was given a detailed briefing on the situation in the city. Kayani kept a low profile on Karachi trip.
In the last corps commanders meeting, the army had expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi. Later Kayani made it clear that the army can deal with Karachi situation only if is asked by the government to do so. The General also expressed satisfaction over the efforts made by paramilitary Rangers and police towards improving law and order situation.
A day after Kayani's statement, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani ruled out military intervention in Karachi. He said that a military action was no long-term solution to the problem.
The Prime Minister said it was only the provincial government that could decide in favour of an army intervention. "Calling the military in Karachi is a provincial subject and federal government will respect the decision of Sindh Assembly," he said.
The corps commanders' meeting would also review explosive allegations made by Zulfiqar Mirza during a press conference where he maintained, among other things, that he had documentary proof of MQM complicity in targeted killings. Mirza invited the army and the ISI to take a look at the documents. However, sources said that before his resignation, Dr Mirza held a meeting with the Director General ISI General Shuja Pasha on the Karachi situation. Later, General Pasha held a meeting with the COAS.