KARACHI: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Friday said the targeted operation against terrorists and criminals will continue indiscriminately till the restoration of peace and security in the city.

Addressing business community at exports trophy awards ceremony of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), he said maintaining better law and order in the country, especially in Karachi, was vital for the nation's economic prosperity and development.

Besides a large number of KCCI members including leading industrialists and exporters, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Senior Provincial Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Federal Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Senator Ishaq Dar, Federal Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, Speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durrani, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders Dr Farooq Sattar and Babar Khan Ghauri were present.

Nawaz Sharif said Karachi was the heart of the country and after taking over as the prime minister, he initiated interaction and had detailed meetings with all stakeholders including the main political parties and the business community.

He said this resulted in a consensus that a well-planned and across the board operation, was unavoidable to purge the city of crimes, mainly terrorism and kidnapping for ransom incidents.

The prime minister also chaired a high level meeting at the Governor House to review the law and order situation in the port city.

He expressed the satisfaction that the operation was going in the right direction. However, he said, the federal and Sindh governments still have a lot to do on this account to achieve the desired results.

Every individual should play his role for the peace, prosperity and development of the country, said the premier. “We are here today to discuss the law and order situation,” he added.

Sharif said that the government was committed to restoring peace and security to the satisfaction of every citizen of the country and to attract foreign traders and investors in the country. The prime minister appreciated high spirit of the business community who he said were working hard for the economic prosperity and development of the country.

“We are trying our best to provide a level playing field to the business community, especially in Karachi,” he said.

“I will regularly monitor and supervise the operation and will help the provincial government to resolve their issues,” said the PM.

He directed the ministry of interior to fast track the blocking of fake mobile phone sims available in the market. The premier also directed to ensure biometric system for future issuance of sims.

He was told that inflow of illegal immigrants including Afghans and Bangladeshis are also causing law and order problems in the city.

Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and secretary interior were directed to involve more in the operation. Police and rangers should use new anti terror laws to combat terrorism extortion and land grabbing, said the prime minister.

The director general of Intelligence Bureau (IB) briefed PM Sharif that those responsible for Lyari blast have been neutralised after an intelligence-led operation.

On the recommendations of the DG Rangers, the prime minister directed that army recruitment centers should be engaged to facilitate police recruitment in the spirit of transparency. He also directed to lift the ban on recruitments of all civil armed officers throughout the country.

He directed that the Sindh government should expedite establishment of high security prisons in the province for terrorists and to insulate them for the outside world.

The prime minister was briefed that 82 terrorists have been shifted to Machh Jail in Balochistan and other prisons in Interior Sindh.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also directed shifting of Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATCs) to Malir Cantt for a better protection of witnesses, investigators, prosecutors and judges.

– With additional reporting by Asif Mehmood