May 18, 2007	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 01, 1428

KARACHI, May 17: The provincial home secretary echoed the views expressed by the adviser to the chief minister on home affairs and said on Thursday that the uncompromising attitude of all political parties led to the mayhem seen on Karachi’s roads on May 12.

Addressing a crowded press conference here in the auditorium of the New Sindh Secretariat, Brig (Rtd) Ghulam Mohammed Mohtaram said he had contacted the leaders of different opposition parties to bring them round for changing the date of their rally. “The opposition leaders told me that they would put off their rally only if the Muttahida Qaumi Movement also cancelled their rally,” he said.

The home secretary, flanked by provincial police chief Niaz Ahmed Siddiqui, city police chief Azhar Farooqui and additional home secretary Rasheed Alam, said that the registrar of the Supreme Court of Pakistan did not respond to his letter about the security of the chief justice.

He said the provincial government also obtained feedback from the federal intelligence agency on the rallies of the MQM and the opposition parties. “We were anticipating clashes if the two rallies were taken out on the same day,” he added.

Brig Mohtaram said that 13,000 policemen and 8,000 Rangers were deployed in parts of the city to protect life and property of the people. “The law enforcers acted as a buffer between the rival groups, otherwise the loss of life would have been much greater,” he remarked.

He said no bank, food chains or foreign mission came under attack on May 12 mainly due to the “effective” presence of the law-enforcers.

The home secretary said the authorities received first reports of violence around 12.30pm. “Clashes broke out when the news of the CJ’s arrival was aired as people started proceeding to the airport,” he said.

He said the government decided to boost the powers of the Rangers on May 13. “As a result of the measures taken by the authorities, the metropolis returned to normality in 72 hours,” he said.

Replying to a question, the home secretary said the Jinnah Terminal and the Sindh High Court were blocked with containers by the administration only for security reasons. “Some parts of Sharea Faisal were also closed by the police,” he added.

The home secretary said the provincial government did not consider at any stage calling out the army to contain violence.

Brig Mohtaram said the MQM had sought permission to take out a procession from the city government. “There was no role of the home department in it,” he added.

He said it was impossible to carry out search for arms in the mobs that had thronged Sharea Faisal on the night of May 11 and on May 12.

When asked if he had heard reports of lawyers being beaten up on injured during the violence on May 12, he replied in the negative.

Capital City Police Chief Azhar Farooqi said 21 people were arrested for their alleged involvement in the May 12 violent activities. “As many as 170 pre-emptive arrests were made on May 11 in the wake of apprehension of violence on the eve of rallies,” he said.

He said arms were withdrawn from riot police as per standard practice to avert shooting at the rioters and mobs. “Had not it been done, there would have been greater casualties in case of firing by law-enforcers,” he said.

In reply to a question, the city police chief said no one resorted to direct firing on the Aaj TV channel building. “The building came under crossfire between Pathans at Patel Para and participants of the MQM rally at Guru Mandir,” he said.

He said the trouble in the area started after the killing of some Pathans at the Wireless Gate near the airport. “First the rivals pelted each other with stones and later they resorted to firing and then the vehicles parked in the parking lot of the TV channel were set on fire,” he said.