KARACHI: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif declared on Wednesday that the targeted operation in Karachi would continue and the administration would have full powers to bring terrorists to justice.

“We started the operation after taking all political parties on board since,” the prime minister said while presiding over a high-level meeting on the law and order situation at the Governor House.

He announced formation of two committees. One will address the grievances and complaints emerging from the operation and the other will look into issues of ban on illegal mobile SIMs and enforcement of biometric system for issuance of new SIMs in consultation with mobile phone companies.

The meeting reviewed the progress made so far in the targeted operation launched eight months ago.

Those who attended the meeting, among others, were Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, former president Asif Ali Zardari, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and ISI Director General Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam.

The prime minister said Karachi held special significance for being the country’s economic hub. “We want cooperation from all stakeholders as everybody wants to see improvement in law and order in Karachi. A joint effort is the only solution to the problem,” he said.

The prime minister emphasised upon capacity building of Sindh police and praised the policy of acquiring services of retired army personnel for maintaining law and order in Karachi.

He said there would be retaliation from extremists and terrorists, but the federal government would provide all possible support to law-enforcement agencies to counter them.

He said his government had implemented the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance (PPO) with a view to dealing with the menace of terrorism and bringing criminals to justice.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar briefed the meeting on the advanced equipment being provided to law-enforcement agencies and cancellation of about 700,000 illegal mobile SIMs. He said the complete launch of 3G mobile technology would help expand the crackdown on illegal SIMs.

Gen Raheel Sharif said the army was ready to extend every kind of support to the federal and provincial governments. “We will give our honest opinion and assistance whenever sought from us,” he added.

He suggested that postings and transfers of police personnel should be depoliticised and they should be equipped with modern equipment and resources.

Asif Ali Zardari said Sindh police needed resources, adding that all political parties should join hands for peace in Karachi.

The Sindh chief secretary briefed the meeting on the targeted operation and the measures taken by the provincial government to restore peace and arrest criminals involved in targeted killings, extortion and kidnappings for ransom. He also provided details about filing of challans against suspects in courts and weapons recovered from them.

The Karachi police chief said the cancellation of illegal SIMs would help reduce the crime rate by 50 per cent. He said police were taking action against criminals without any discrimination and there was no political pressure on them.

The meeting decided that the federal government would provide the Sindh government three vehicles equipped with latest technology that could detect bombs and other explosive material.

Informed sources said the prime minister had given an approval to the final phase of the operation and political and army leaderships had agreed that the operation should continue without any pressure.

The Sindh government has been asked to formulate a policy to shift anti-terrorist courts to Malir Cantt in 15 days and build high-security prisons in all five divisions of Sindh.

The prime minister expressed reservations over ineffective enforcement of the PPO, delay in shifting of ATC courts to Malir Cantt, non-issuance of red warrants against criminals escaped from the country, incidents of targeted killing of professionals and encroachment on government land.

The prime minister ordered setting up of peace committees at the district and sub-division level comprising area people and representatives of political parties.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2014