KARACHI: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said that now they will have to take tough decisions to purge the country of terrorism while Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif vowed that the terrorists behind the attack on a bus of the Ismaili community would be eliminated at all costs.
The prime minister stated this while chairing a top-level meeting at the Governor’s House to review the security matters of Karachi in the aftermath of the Safoora Chowrangi bus tragedy.He directed the law-enforcement agencies that all members of terrorist and anti-state groups, their facilitators, backers and coordinators in the city should be unearthed and eliminated at the earliest.
The prime minister, earlier in the evening, dashed to Karachi to personally look into the bus firing case targeting members of the Ismaili community in Karachi. The meeting was attended among others by Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar, Defence Minter Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, Karachi corps commander and director general Sindh Rangers. MNAs Dr Farooq Sattar and Rasheed Godail also attended the meeting on the behalf of Muttahida Qaumi Movement. Later, former president and Co-chairman of Pakistan People’s Party Asif Ali Zardari also joined the meeting.
The DG Rangers and Inspector General of Sindh Police briefed the prime minister on the law and order situation in the city in the backdrop of the bus firing incident. The Sindh chief secretary also briefed the meeting.
The prime minister on the occasion directed officials and agencies concerned that all possible efforts should be made to arrest perpetrators of the Karachi bus carnage targeting the Ismaili community.
The premier expressed his deep sorrow that terrorists this time had targeted members of a peaceful community, including women, in Karachi.He directed the officials concerned that the ongoing targeted operation against criminals in Karachi should enter its conclusive phase so that action against lawless and anti-state elements should be speeded up.
He directed the authorities that criminal charge-sheets prepared against the terrorists nabbed by the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) should be submitted in the trial courts concerned within 15 days of the arrests so that speedy justice could be done in cases of terrorism.
He directed the intelligence outfits concerned that they should fully assist the LEAs engaged in the targeted operation so that they could achieve their desired goals, including elimination of terrorist groups, within the shortest-possible time.
He directed the high-ups of the Sindh Police that investigation should be speeded up in terrorism cases while services of experienced police officials should be hired for resolving high-profile terrorism cases.
He directed the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah to remove from their posts police officials not delivering or those involved in instances of dereliction of duty. He directed officials concerned that an operation should be launched against land, arms, and other anti-public mafias operating in Karachi.
The prime minister said that enemies of the State had been continuously making vicious efforts to destabilise Pakistan so that the country, including Karachi, could not progress. He said the Karachi bus attack was in fact an assault on the integrity of the State.
He said the economic agenda being implemented by the present govt was not at all liked by the enemies of Pakistan as they didn’t want to see Pakistan making progress.He said that efforts would be made to fully restore peace in Karachi and for this cause political and military leadership would jointly make struggle to fight terrorism. He said that all institutions should make collective and coordinated efforts against terrorism.
Nawaz Sharif said that he was highly saddened by the attack on the Ismaili Muslim community as all possible efforts would be made to provide protection to the peaceful community of the country.
The prime minister said there were no words to express grief over the tragic incident. “Karachi is the commercial hub of Pakistan and every incident here does have importance.”Later, the prime minister along with Sindh governor, chief minister and federal ministers went to the Clifton residence of the leader of Ismaili community in Karachi Sultan Ali Allana and condoled with him over the deaths and injuries to several members of the community in the bus firing incident.
Muhammad Saleh Zaafir adds from Islamabad: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also made a phone call to Prince Karim Aga Khan on Wednesday evening to offer his heartfelt deep condolences.
He assured the prince that the government wouldn’t leave any stone unturned to nab the culprits of the heinous crime and they would be taken to task as the people who had been targeted were innocent and killed for no rhyme and reason.
The prime minister eulogised the services of the Ismaili community for the progress of the country and said that “We are proud of their services which have been rendered by them right from the inception of Pakistan. The barbaric incident has saddened the whole nation.”
Prince Karim Aga Khan thanked Nawaz for his words of sympathy.Agencies add: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif cancelled his pre-scheduled three-day visit to Sri Lanka, and dashed to Karachi to review the law and order situation in the commercial hub of the country.
Corps Commander, Karachi, Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar, and DG Sindh Rangers briefed the army chief on the details of the incident and the initial investigation as well as the overall law and order situation in the city.
General Raheel also telephoned the spiritual leader of the Ismaili community Prince Karim Agha Khan and offered his heartfelt condolences on the killings of innocent people.The COAS said: “Our heart goes out to the bereaved families,” said an ISPR press release.He said no efforts would be spared to apprehend and punish the perpetrators of this terrorist act, their abettors and backers.
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