June 16, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-us-Sani 11, 1429

KARACHI, June 15: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has lashed out at the ex-servicemen society for what he called maligning President Pervez Musharraf as well as the Pakistan army and warned them that he would produce ‘evidence’ of their malpractices before the people if they did not desist from their anti-Musharraf campaign.

“If there is a demand for the president’s impeachment, then there is also a demand that all ex-servicemen who had played a role in the derailment of democracy and the imposition of martial laws should be hanged,” he said.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony of the city government’s video surveillance network called the command and control system and the city ambulance and rescue service (Care) here on Sunday.

He claimed the ex-servicemen involved in previous martial laws were busy in criticizing the president for, what he called, getting cheap publicity.

The governor said the nation was proud of the armed forces of Pakistan but some ex-servicemen were trying to destroy the institution.

“Throughout their lives they got huge benefits but now they are criticizing President Musharraf. If this process does not stop soon, we will hold a public court at the Regal Chowk and inform the masses about their malpractices,” he warned.

He said he would meet the chief of the army staff and request him to send the ex-servicemen to the border areas so that they could again serve the nation with their experience.

The governor was of the view that it was not a difficult task to set up public courts. However, he maintained that the assemblies were functioning in the country and political and national matters should be discussed and resolved in parliament.

He said the Muttahida Qaumi Movement had supported President Musharraf and now it was supporting Asif Ali Zardari and the Pakistan People’s Party. “The country is at a critical juncture and one should refrain from a policy of confrontation as there is a need fro reconciliation.”

Dr Ibad said that the lawyers’ long march was converted into a political march, which had damaged the movement.

He said President Musharraf started the process of political reconciliation but unfortunately, due to the mistakes of political leaders it turned into a political confrontation.

He lashed out at those spreading rumours which caused financial losses to the tune of billions of dollars to the country. “Such people are working on someone else’s agenda of harming Pakistan’s integrity, but I am sure all patriotic people will foil this conspiracy,” he added.

He praised the city nazim for introducing the concept of video surveillance, which would help solve traffic problems and reduce the crime rate.

Earlier, the city nazim explained the salient features of the command and control centres, established at a cost of Rs110 million.

He said at present, the system covered a stretch of 36 kilometres but within six month all of Karachi would come under the surveillance network.

He said the nazim of Lahore had also contacted him as he wanted to implement such a system in the capital of Punjab.

Sindh police chief Dr Shoaib Suddle, provincial Minister for Information Technology Raza Haroon, city Naib Nazim Nasrin Jalil and others were also present.