Treat the disease, not the diseased, says PM on Karachi situation

E-Paper | March 18, 2026

KARACHI: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting on Karachi's law and order situation at the Jinnah International Airport on Monday during which he directed authorities to treat the disease and not the diseased, DawnNews reported.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Director General Rangers Major General Rizwan Akhter, Inspector General Police Iqbal Mehmood and Additional Inspector General Shahid Hayat participated in the meeting.

Hayat briefed the prime minister during the meeting.

DG Rangers apprised the meeting of a 37 per cent decrease in the city's crime rate, adding that it would take more time to clear out the situation which had developed over a period of more than 30 years.

The premier however expressed displeasure over the poor law and order situation of the city and questioned officials as to why the conditions of Karachi deteriorated after being stable for some time.

He directed officials to take stricter action to ensure peace.

Nawaz also ordered for swift completion of investigation into the attack on Hamid Mir during a visit to the hospital where the senior journalist is undergoing treatment.

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Pakistan

Journalist Hamid Mir injured in gun attack in Karachi

concerned

Apr 21, 2014 06:18pm

To protect citizens should not the army be called in. Dawn readers what are your views.

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Muhammad

Apr 21, 2014 07:02pm

@concerned: Yes, but law & order is not the only problem in Pakistan. Corruption seems to be the root cause of all evils. Everybody from top to bottom is corrupt until proven otherwise. I think democracy has failed because people will continue to elect corrupt over and over again. Perhaps they have no better choice. they say corrupt elements would get gradually eliminated if democracy is allowed to flourish. But how long can you afford to wait?

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Youth

Apr 21, 2014 07:03pm

To treat the disease Mr. PM please call the army. peoples of Karachi have no trust in the local police, Rangers or the PPP government. The Urdu speaking community of Sindh especially Karachi feel that their plights are not been given any importance by the Sindh government whose priority is evident to dis-own Urdu speaking community. This is a frank letter and should be paid heed.

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Khalid

Apr 21, 2014 07:06pm

@concerned: Government should do whatever is required to provide the security to the citizens of Pakistan. This government is good at slogans and saying the right things. What lacks completely is the action. Someone should actually list down all the security forces that have been created to only look after the influential people. The average citizen has nobody to protect them. This government is obsessed with Musharraf. I wish they paid the same attention to the security of the citizens of Pakistan.

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Najma

Apr 21, 2014 07:40pm

@concerned: That is only a temporary solution. Stop the migration of outsiders in the Karachi just like the way it is control in Beijing and Moscow.

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Farhan

Apr 21, 2014 08:01pm

@concerned: This is nothing new for Karachi. Many such comments from previous govt. also been made for no result. Army with full commando type action can only clear parts of karachi for all those no go areas where even rangers cannot do much like Lyari, Landhi, and other such areas. This govt. like last will never give army this work (army may not want it either) so the common people will have to live under such circumstances for some good period of time.

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Ashfaque Ghouri

Apr 21, 2014 08:24pm

The powers to be need to study and learn how cities are run effectively in other parts of the world. More power to Mayor and local bodies including policing but who cares in getting to root of the evil.

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syed wasim haider

Apr 21, 2014 08:56pm

Sir, how many times u visited this city which provides u about 60% of tax revenue. Your statement looks like a joke with 25 million Pakistanis living in this city. Please be serious with the law and order situation of this city and if u do it people of this city will vote for your party in next election.

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lib

Apr 21, 2014 09:12pm

No. Implement the laws that are there to deal with them.

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Ayesha Khan

Apr 21, 2014 09:36pm

Now the disease is out of grip, its quiet lethal and contagious ---Its called Corruption

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imran ali

Apr 21, 2014 09:56pm

governor rule should be imposed,police force in Karachi has become a private force of PPP,targeting only opponent of politicians

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zak

Apr 21, 2014 10:14pm

@concerned: No- Army must not be given tasks that civilians are supposed to do. Army cannot run the civilian affairs as well as guard the borders. They come in when there is internal chaos about to loom, due to inept insincere civilian leadership. I suggest the issue is of Law and Order which comes under the remit of the police, which is highly corrupt and inefficient. It is kept that way to ensure political parties can use them for their own ends. But the police administration should be put under the Army for a 2 year duration to ensure clean, efficient people are kept and run the force. Then see how quickly law and order comes under control.

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IBN-E-ASHFAQUE

Apr 21, 2014 10:16pm

Calling in the army will be counter productive into the quagmire of karachi. The Sindh government should reorganise the police by apppointing some one who is both honest, upright and capable to lead it. The army can train karachi police. The salary and administrative structures of karachi police needs to be revamped particularly depoliticised. Karachi police should represent the communities it polices in terms of man power. At the moment it is manned by rurals from Sindh, and Punjab. But who will bell the cat? Democracy sadly in Pakistan is the dictatorship of the majority without consulting anyone.

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NASAH (USA)

Apr 21, 2014 10:50pm

What is a disease without the diseased?

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just_someone

Apr 21, 2014 10:53pm

@concerned: let the army stay in their barracks and for once figure out something yourself. if the police cant deal with domestic law and order, whats the use of having a police force? why not save the money? for once, make it such that the police does their job. dont care what it takes, non-politicization, better equipment, more hires, better training, blah blah. just get it done without the army!

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Nothing but the truth

Apr 21, 2014 11:10pm

Vent all you want.........no one is listening.

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Amjad Wyne

Apr 21, 2014 11:33pm

"Treat the disease, not the diseased"...agreed Mr. Prime Minister. The name of the disease is, "Bad Government, Inept leaders and Corrupt politicians" . Hopefully this will help you find the treatment.

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Ali

Apr 22, 2014 12:07am

Law and order in Karachi is worst so many thousand people killed, robbed, kidnapped yet no accountability of governor Ebad nor of CM Qaim Ali Shah? Political parties protecting them. Musharraf proudly announced May 12 massacre but today Generals are protecting Musharraf at any cost, no accountability again. Societies where there is no accountability how can things improve? Things will not improve by just filling jails with poor. If this was a civilised country Musharraf, Ebad and Qaim would be in jails infact majority of corrupt judges too would be in jails

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Tariq, Lahore

Apr 22, 2014 12:23am

Trust the army to bring about law and order, PM!

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salman

Apr 22, 2014 12:54am

This prime minister of Punjab is nothing but Laughingstock for everyone.

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Kaghan wala

Apr 22, 2014 02:06am

'...treat the disease not the diseased' Very hard to detect the pearl of wisdom in this statement. The PM must have picked it from a newspaper, or such. The disease is corruption. The head virus is the PM himself.

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independentthinker

Apr 22, 2014 02:10am

Maybe if you stop "negotiating" with the enemies and go full force after the insurgents, you will see our "law and order situation" improve considerably. Criminals in Pakistan know that they are feared and there is no accountability! Mr. Sharif needs to apply full force on these criminals and show no mercy.

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Landhi wala

Apr 22, 2014 02:43am

The PM does not come inside Karachi. Or he visits in the dead of night, unannounced, for a few hours. Then scram. Or he stays at the airport. pretending to be busy, on his way somewhere, to beg more money. [ largest city in the country, generating nearly 40% of the country's revenues, population 21 million, including 3 million Afghans]

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Saeed

Apr 22, 2014 03:00am

@independentthinker: yes we need another Martial Law for three years and get rid of all politicians as they have proven to be corrupt and useless.

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Pragmatist

Apr 22, 2014 03:31am

When a disease cannot be treated for a long time it is called chronic and the patient is advised to live with it until the disease kills him. It appears the country is suffering from such a disease. Now there is sometimes an aggressive treatment by surgery, radiation therapy etc. Perhaps Pakistan is need of such aggressive regimen. However, it requires the consent and will of the patient to endure certain hardships and risks in hope of a cure. In the case of countries the will of the people is required and a strong determined hand of the military practitioners is needed to attempt such a treatment. The civilian governments have neither the will nor the high moral standards to take this bitter pill.

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Sana

Apr 22, 2014 04:53am

Somebody from within us has to rise and stand for leadership of this country

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Haroon Rooha

Apr 22, 2014 07:13am

@Youth: Why did the urdu speaking people migrate?.Do you think Religion is the bond that keeps world go around? and peace??Think again young Man.Religion is the opium of masses,they are fooled by the leaders.No matter where they live what their religion is ,their will be need for fools ,to serve the wise.

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Mustafa

Apr 22, 2014 07:44am

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif directed authorities to treat the disease and not the diseased. What a joke! Is the PM aware that the diseased are the militants, terrorists, criminals and lawless and carriers of the disease of terrorism, militancy, crime and lawlessness. They are the ones who should be deal with by law enforcement authorities with full force of laws..

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Fazal Rahmat

Apr 22, 2014 08:02am

Mr. Sharif, you have a mandate to run this country for five years. Public is looking for a miracle to happen, they lost trust on politics and democracy. They need to see actions not words. TTP(Punjab) took the responsibility of caring attack on Mir, you are negotiating with these people who killing innocent people every day. Every day hundreds of women become widows, hundreds of children lost their parents and hundreds of parents lost their kids in the hands of these soulless fighters. You are not worried because you have a army of elite force to protect you and your family. If you didn't destroy them now, you will regret it later. Don't even think that, you and your family is safe because you are PM, its just a matter of time when they come after you.

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Mustafa

Apr 22, 2014 08:04pm

PM's statement "Treat the disease and not the diseased" is tantamount to "Treat the militancy and terrorism and not the militants and terrorists". Probably this is the reason why he is reluctant to take firm military action against Taliban and he believes he will change the minds and hearts of Taliban through negotiations and peace talks while blood-shed of innocents continues on daily basis..

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khanm

Apr 24, 2014 05:05pm

Would you like to tell us what is the disease... you tried to eliminate the disease last time when your were in power... as a matter of fact you even carried out a major operation in Karachi under surgeon general Barber... When a man points a finger at someone else, he should remember that four of his fingers are pointing at himself. all political parties are playing the blame games.they only wants to take responsibility when you win, but when you fail, all these fingers are pointing. How many more will die before we find the solution/ cure.

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