Afghan situation cause of Karachi violence: Gilani
August 5th, 2011 - 11:26 pm ICT by IANS
Islamabad, Aug 5 (IANS) The violence in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi was due to the worsening situation in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Friday.
Over 800 people were killed in ethnic, sectarian and political violence in Karachi this year. Gilani told reporters in central Multan city that the affairs in Afghanistan had worsened the situation in Pakistan.
Law enforcement agencies have been instructed to share information with one another if they unearth any plot to disturb the law and order so they could take pre-emptive steps, Xinhua quoted him as saying.
Asked if the army will be deployed to restore peace in Karachi, he said the federal government respects the mandate of the province and would support if it takes any decision.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), a key ethnic group, has called for the deployment of the army in Karachi, while the Awami National Party called for an army operation to recover illegal weapons in the city.
Gilani added that the government has urged all parties to make joint efforts to restore peace in Karachi.
The ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and some opposition groups, however, oppose the idea of deploying the army in Karachi and instead recommends more powers for the police.
- Strike paralyses life in Karachi - Aug 23, 2011
- Gilani vows to quell Karachi violence - Aug 22, 2011
- Police detain 20 suspects as Karachi death toll rises to 27 - Jan 15, 2011
- Deploy army in Karachi, demands MQM chief - Aug 04, 2011
- 'Arms coming to Karachi from Afghanistan' - Mar 30, 2012
- Shoot at sight orders in Karachi as violence toll mounts - Jul 08, 2011
- "Karachi will witness ethnic cleansing like Bosnia if govt doesn't wake up" - Nov 19, 2010
- Karachi violence death toll rises to thirty - Mar 14, 2011
- Karachi death toll touches 80 in five days - Oct 20, 2010
- 14 killed in Karachi violence (Lead) - Aug 20, 2010
- 10 killed in Karachi violence after leader's death (Lead) - Mar 27, 2012
- Pakistani court asks parties to expel criminals - Oct 06, 2011
- Australian diplomat meets Pakistani leaders - Jun 12, 2011
- Karachi -Pakistan's lifeline or City of Death - Jan 31, 2011
- Nearly 300 arrested for Karachi target killings (Second Lead) - May 20, 2010
Tags: army operation, awami national party, deployment, ethnic group, illegal weapons, islamabad, law and order, law enforcement agencies, mandate, muttahida qaumi movement, opposition groups, pakistan law, pakistan peoples party, political violence, ppp, raza, situation in pakistan, violence in karachi, xinhua, yousuf