SHARJEEL MEMON SEEKS PROOF OF ALLEGATIONS ON EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS BY FORCES

Sameer Nazir
KARACHI: Sindh Minister for information, archives and local government said that those alleging the law enforcement forces for conducting extra-judicial murders should bring evidences in support to their allegations and 5 workers of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) picked from Country Garden in Scheme 33 in Karachi were not in custody of Sindh Police. The ongoing targeted operation was not against any particular party and hence it should not be made controversial. Police and Pakistan Rangers Sindh deserved due salutations for their efforts for curbing the terrorism from the metropolis.
The Minister said this while responding to objections raised by leader of opposition Syed Faisal Sabzwari on point of order during the session of Sindh assembly Tuesday.
He categorically refused arrest of 5 workers of MQM and said that those workers, who were picked by personnel in plain clothes from Country garden in Scheme 33 in Karachi, as claimed by leader of opposition but still Inspector General of Police, Sindh had formed a committee to trace those 5 missing workers of MQM. The ongoing targeted operation was only against the criminal elements and was not against any particular political party and hence nobody should try to make the targeted operation as controversial.
He said that he had talked to the IGP on the issue of 5 workers of MQM, but the IGP had categorically denied picking of those workers by Police. Hence it could not be ascertained as of the kidnapers were personnel of security forces in plain clothes or they were kidnappers? However, on MQM’s protest. IGP had constituted a committee to look into the case.
He offered salutations to Police and Rangers for playing a pivotal role in curbing the lawlessness and terrorism from the port city of Karachi.
He said that Sindh government never claimed the lawlessness or target killing had been eliminated from the city but as the crime was still being committed by the anti-social elements, the law enforcers were also in action against them equally. Once the Police had denied of keeping any of MQM workers in custody, the findings of the committee being formed on that issue would also be shared with MQM.
The Minister said that the ongoing targeted operation in Karachi had yielded positive results but the decades old menace of lawlessness could not be eliminated overnight. Police and Rangers deserved due salutations for their role they had so far played for curbing the crimes and terrorism in the city and now it was a positive gesture that courts were also awarding due punishment to the criminals through court trials.
He said that the ongoing targeted operation should not be placed under undue criticism and any efforts for making this operation as controversial should also be avoided. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah had already given a free hand to Police and Rangers and nobody was interfering in their affairs and conduction of assigned obligations. The operation was completely free from any discrimination and it was not against any political party and Sindh government was always ready to address the reservations of any political party in this context.