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

LAHORE, May 17: The Karachi violence could not be termed “terrorism” as it has a very heavy political content in it,” says Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao. Talking to newsmen at the residence of National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain here, the interior minister insisted that situation went out of hand when the chief justice refused to consider official request for using a helicopter to reach the Sindh High Court building.

The otherwise calm interior minister lost his cool twice in his brief talk with the newsmen, asking them to behave while asking questions. He reacted angrily when asked how could the Karachi carnage be described if it was not an act of terrorism.

Admonishing the questioner that it was not the way to put a question, Mr Sherpao denied that May 12 violence had anything to do with terrorism.

Talking about the law and order situation, he said that people had developed a negative perception of the government due to some violent events. “Otherwise, a close scrutiny will reveal that situation is, in fact, improving.”

He also said since Pakistan was a frontline state in war on terrorism, it had exposed the country to certain dangers.

“These dangers are crucial in forming people’s perception about the law and order situation in the country. Those projecting such perceptions should create a margin for the country’s role in the war on terrorism,” he said.

He said that no one had denied the chief justice entry into the port city, but determining the rally route was an official prerogative. “The situation could have been much worse had the CJ’s rally been allowed to take the route. The provincial government is only guilty of exercising its prerogative.”

Denying any federal support to the MQM in the May 12 carnage, the interior minister said that law and order was a provincial subject and had nothing to do with the federation. The federal government only acted as a facilitator and should not be held responsible for any act in the province.

He claimed that a complete postmortem of the Karachi situation was performed when the prime minister visited the city. Role of every one, including law-enforcing agencies, came under discussion and some measures had been finalised.

Talking about the Peshawar blast and its possible link to the death of Taliban commander Mullah Dadullah, the interior minister said that it was possible. “But, there is no evidence so far linking the blast to Taliban. It is right that Uzbek fighters are very active in fight with the government forces, it will be premature to link the blasts to them at this stage.”