A view of the National Assembly. — File photo

ISLAMABAD: Members of different political parties in the National Assembly on Friday recommended unity and harmony among all the political parties on all national issues to remove ethnic, sectarian and political divides in Karachi and in other parts of the country.

Taking part in the debate, PML-N leader Shireen Arshad said Karachi was the economic hub of the country but unfortunately the law and order situation in the city was not under the provincial government’s control.

She said indiscriminate action should be taken against criminal elements and assassins. They should be punished in public so that they become an example for others, she said.

Ms Arshad said all political and religious parties would have to join hands against anti-state elements and criminals to establish lasting peace in Karachi.

She recommended modern training for the police force and the Rangers and provision of state of the art weapons to them.

MQM MNA Abdul Wasim said terrorism, price hike, inflation, unemployment and poverty were the main causes of unrest in Karachi and other parts of the country.

He said time had come to address the issues and problems of the masses especially the poor.

The parliamentarian deplored that feudal lords and rich segments of the society wanted to rule the country without giving opportunity to intellectuals, scholars, professionals and experts.

Laiq Mohammad Khan criticised the government for not apprehending and punishing the assassins of former premier Benazir Bhutto and questioned that if the government could not arrest the killers of Ms Bhutto, how would it establish its writ in the country.

He suggested that heads of all political parties would have to leave all their political activities and sit together to explore measures for durable peace in Karachi.

Hayat Khan said anti-state elements are endeavouring to divide Karachi ethnically and to destroy the economic hub of the country with an aim to destabilising Pakistan.

He said anti-state elements term each and every killing as ‘target’ killing just to create a sense of panic and hate among different segments of society.

Mr Khan further said that all political parties needed to rise above party politics and sit together for a peaceful Karachi.