Rehman-Malik-670
Interior Minister Rehman Malik - File Photo

KARACHI: Federal Interior Minister, Rehman Malik on Sunday ruled out the possibility of negotiations with the Amn Committee – the banned outfit of Lyari, DawnNews reported.

Malik said that the if the criminals of Lyari trust Nawaz Sharif then they can  send for the Punjab police instead.

Speaking to the media after a meeting on law and order at the Chief Minister House, Malik said that Pakistan Muslim League-N will be making a big blunder by including Uzair Baloch in its party.

“Some political parties' contacts with the criminals in Lyari will encourage lawlessness and such a move can be questioned according to law of land,” Malik said.

“With deployment of Rangers, FC and police, I want to give the people of Lyari a sense of peace and security,” he asserted.

He, however, warned the criminals that do be mistaken by the suspension of action and the space given to them (criminals), and that they should not see it as a weakness of the government.

The government would never compromise on the writ of law and maintain peace in the city at all cost, he added.

He said that President Asif Ali Zardari had directed him to maintain peace and restore the public life immediately, and we are using all options available for this purpose.

He said that it was locally managed police action limited to three streets of Lyari.

The police had authentic information that these streets had tuned into a stronghold of the criminals. But, he regretted, a hype was created by certain quarters of media and was projected as an operation in all of Lyari.

“It was not an operation but a targeted police action against criminals,” he remarked adding that however the police action was successful.

Malik said that the government wanted to apologise to the people of Lyari for the problems faced by them during the police action there. But, he pleaded, it was the criminals who had been using sophisticated and heavy arms including rocket launchers in the area and made public movement very difficult. This also badly affected the provision of food , water and health-care.

When his attention was drawn to loss of life and property of general public in Lyari, the interior minister said the Government would dully compensate the affectees.

He said that People's Amn Committee (PAC) has already been declared as a banned organisation and the Government would have no dialogue with PAC men. The law would certainly take its course. However, he assured , there would no extra-judicial killing in the name of maintenance of law and order.

He said that Rangers are now present in Lyari and PAC leader, who is wanted in various crime cases, should fulfil his promise and surrender himself to the Rangers.

Opinion

Editorial

Hasty transition
Updated 05 May, 2024

Hasty transition

Ostensibly, the aim is to exert greater control over social media and to gain more power to crack down on activists, dissidents and journalists.
One small step…
05 May, 2024

One small step…

THERE is some good news for the nation from the heavens above. On Friday, Pakistan managed to dispatch a lunar...
Not out of the woods
05 May, 2024

Not out of the woods

PAKISTAN’S economic vitals might be showing some signs of improvement, but the country is not yet out of danger....
Rigging claims
Updated 04 May, 2024

Rigging claims

The PTI’s allegations are not new; most elections in Pakistan have been controversial, and it is almost a given that results will be challenged by the losing side.
Gaza’s wasteland
04 May, 2024

Gaza’s wasteland

SINCE the start of hostilities on Oct 7, Israel has put in ceaseless efforts to depopulate Gaza, and make the Strip...
Housing scams
04 May, 2024

Housing scams

THE story of illegal housing schemes in Punjab is the story of greed, corruption and plunder. Major players in these...