IN the midst of a spate of sectarian killings in Karachi and with tortured bodies turning up in and around the metropolis, it is strange that the prime minister should sound optimistic about the results of the law enforcement operation thus far. Nawaz Sharif, who chaired a meeting on law and order in the city on Monday, said the operation was yielding “positive results”. While crime in parts of Karachi, such as Lyari, may be down relatively speaking, the fact is the city is far from pacified and it is premature to dub the operation successful. Numerous incidents over the past few days point to the precariousness of the city’s law and order situation. The attempt on journalist Hamid Mir’s life on Saturday was perhaps the most high-profile act of violence in the city in recent weeks, but there have been other incidents. For example, killings have continued on a sectarian basis. In fact, on the day the prime minister was chairing the meeting in the Sindh capital an assistant professor of a government college was shot dead, while four bodies with bullet wounds were found near the city limits in Thatta district. In other incidents, professionals, traders and seminary students belonging to both the Shia and Sunni communities have been gunned down, while the bodies of two MQM activists, tortured and stuffed in gunny bags, were discovered on Friday. The Muttahida has termed the deaths “extrajudicial killings” of its workers and said its supporters are being picked up by security forces without following due process.

In light of the above, whoever has briefed Mr Sharif about the “positive” results of the operation is clearly misinformed. As far as controlling sectarian, political and ethnic killings goes, until the gangs of professional killers, including those with political links, are busted, the violence will continue. On the other hand, the high-handedness and extrajudicial methods of the security forces will only aggravate the situation. The state must ensure all action is within the ambit of the law.