No need for military action in Karachi: Kayani

KARACHI: The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, on Thursday said that there was no need of a military operation in Karachi and Rangers were maintaining law and order there in a better way.

Gen Kayani was apparently responding to the demands from politicians to launch an army operation in Karachi. He clarified that the civil government place the demand under the Constitution; the army cannot take control of the city by itself. The COAS said that military contingents were ready to maintain stability during Muharram, adding that they will cooperate in every possible manner with the civil administration in this regard. He mentioned that military was deployed in the sensitive areas of the country.

On Wednesday, IG Sindh Fayyaz Leghari said an army operation should not be conducted in Karachi, adding that the capacity of the already present paramilitary forces in the city should be increased. He said that the army will not be called in during Muharram, and they have only been asked to remain on standby.

Earlier, lawmakers from the Awami National Party (ANP) demanded an immediate military operation in the troubled city, saying that the Sindh government had failed, while Karachi’s ruling party, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), staged walkouts from both the Houses of Parliament to register their protest against the government’s inaction.

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