KARACHI: Denouncing Wednesday’s attack on a bus carrying members of the Shia Ismaili community and other incidents of terrorism taking place in the city, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ordered law-enforcement agencies on Wednesday to do their utmost to immediately arrest the terrorists and their abettors responsible for attacking peaceful people.

Presiding over a meeting on the law and order situation at the Governor House, the prime minister termed the bus massacre a conspiracy against the solidarity of the country and said: “We have to keep an eye on our enemies who do not like Pakistan to achieve economic progress. The entire nation has to unite in the war against terrorism and fight against enemies of the country for the survival of Pakistan.”

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif, Sindh Rangers Director General Maj Gen Bilal Akbar, Karachi Corps Commander Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar, the interior secretary and other senior officials attended the meeting, besides PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and MQM’s parliamentary party leader in the National Assembly Rasheed Godail and MNA Dr Farooq Sattar.

The meeting reviewed various aspects of the law and order situation in the city, specifically against the backdrop of Wednesday’s attack in which at least 43 men and women of the Ismaili community were gunned down near Safoora Goth Chowrangi.

Addressing the meeting, Mr Sharif said it was difficult for him to find words to express grief over the brutal incident. “Karachi is the commercial hub of Pakistan and every incident here does have importance.”

Assuring the Ismaili community that all possible measures would be taken to provide them protection, the prime minister said, “We are determined to restoring lights of the city and once again make it a cradle of peace.”

He said the agenda of the enemies was not to let Pakistan achieve economic progress and prevent anything that would take the country forward. There was a need to keep an eye on such elements, he said, adding that Wednesday’s incident was extremely regrettable.

He asked the law-enforcement agencies to work in coordination to ensure peace in Karachi. All institutions responsible for countering terrorism should gear up to meet the challenges.

Earlier, Sindh Chief Secretary Siddique Memon gave a briefing to the prime minister on the overall law and order situation in the province, while Inspector General of Police Ghulam Hyder Jamali informed him about the ongoing operation against criminals. The Rangers DG said investigation into the bus tragedy was under way from different aspects and steps were being taken to bring the culprits to book.

Later, Mr Sharif visited the residence of President of the National Council of Aga Khan community Sultan Ali Allana and expressed grief over the tragedy and offered condolences over the loss of precious lives. He was accompanied by Governor Ibad, Chief Minister Shah, Asif Zardari and Dr Sattar.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2015

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