November 30, 2002	Saturday	Ramazan 24, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 29: Information and Media Development Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Friday that the government is committed to abolishing “no-go areas” in Karachi so that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement can begin its political activities there.

Speaking in a PTV programme, “News Night”, Sheikh Rashid assured the MQM that no-go areas would be abolished and the displaced families rehabilitated.

He accepted the MQM as a patriotic political force, which represented the people of Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur.

It was the responsibility of the government to redress the grievances of the MQM, he said and urged the party to show patience. The problem could not be resolved overnight, he said.

The minister said the government was ready to show flexibility in its talks with other parties. He called upon all political groups to show responsibility in the interest of the nation and for the sake of democracy.

Stability of the federal government was in the interest of all political parties, he said.

Sheikh Rashid said the Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam) and the MQM were political allies of the future.

He made it clear that the government would not take sides vis-a-vis internal matters of the MQM.

Referring to the situation in Karachi, he said the law would take its course to decide who was a terrorist.

MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar said his party had demanded that terrorists should be flushed out of the no-go areas so that the Muttahida could begin its genuine political activities. The 1,200 families evicted from the no-go areas should also be rehabilitated, he said.

He said such areas had existed for the last 10 years and a state within state was in place hijacking one million people of those areas.

He demanded that the government should impose its writ and implement the orders of President Gen Pervez Musharraf about abolishment of no-go areas.

All governments in the past failed to implement the agreements made with the MQM, he said.

Dr Sattar alleged that he and his associates were fired upon when they visited the no-go areas some days back.

He said the MQM for the time being had not decided to support any party and it would sit on the opposition benches.—APP