Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan addresses press conference about cabinet meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday. – Photo by PPI

ISLAMABAD: The government said on Wednesday that army action in Karachi at this time would weaken democratic dispensation in the country and those calling for it had their own ulterior motives.

When democracy had started taking roots in the country why should some people want to drag army into every minor issue, Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said when asked why was the government reluctant to call the army when civilian law-enforcement agencies appeared to have failed to end target killings in the city.

She was briefing the media after a meeting of the cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Ms Awan rejected a perception that the PPP-led government was not calling the army because of lack of confidence and said that because of past experiences the government had decided to go for political and long-term solutions.

“It is very easy to bring temporary peace, but the government doesn’t want to repeat the history,” she said. “This is a very serious situation which the people of Karachi are facing at the moment and, therefore, stakeholders, especially the media, need to be very responsible and stay away from making non-serious statements.”

The federal government was ready to take any measure sought by the Sindh government in support of its efforts to arrest criminal gangs operating in Karachi, she said when asked if the centre had any intention of taking some action on its own. Ms Awan said the cabinet had been informed by the prime minister that the Sindh government had selected nine areas for operation against killers by Rangers, police and intelligence agencies. “The government has decided to take an across the board action under which criminal elements regardless of their political affiliation will be nabbed,” Ms Awan replied when asked if the areas belonged to a particular political party.

“Being a commercial hub of the country, Karachi cannot be left at the mercy of a handful of criminals who are hiding in a population of some four million people who live in these areas,” Ms Awan said.

She said the Sindh government had set up an operation room in Karachi where arrested killers and extortionists would be presented before the media.

Answering a question about MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s demand for prime minister’s resignation, the information minister said the government couldn’t act on any body’s wishes.

Asked about chances of the Muttahida rejoining the coalition government, she said talks between the two parties were continuing. “MQM is a political party and following its own agenda and will join the government when it feels appropriate to do so,” she added.

Ms Awan said the cabinet approved financial documents for the 425MW power project in Checho Ki Malian and 525MW project in Nandi Pur.

She said the secretary finance had informed the meeting that 200,000 tons of fertilisers were being imported for Kharif crops, of which 150,000 tons had already been imported. A subsidy of Rs5 billion has been given on fertilisers.

APP adds: The information minister quoted the prime minister as saying that the government was aware of the Karachi situation and urged all political forces to support it to resolve the issue. The cabinet appealed to Ulema and other religious scholars to hold special prayers for peace and stability in Karachi and for the country.

Ms Awan said the prime minister had apprised the cabinet of steps being taken by the government to end loadshedding. He asked the finance minister to work out an out of box solution to end power shortage.

The cabinet asked the Ministry of Religious Affairs to review the draft bill for regulating Haj, Umrah and Ziarat business in Pakistan and incorporate in the bill points raised by ministers.

The cabinet decided to form a committee comprising the ministers for petroleum, finance and industry to thrash out matters relating to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority.

The cabinet approved formal negotiations with Latvia on an air services agreement, Pak-French joint declaration on economic and commercial partnership and signing of an agreement with Senegal on cooperation in combating illicit trafficking of narcotics and psychotropic substances.