KARACHI: Karachi Corps Commander Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar on Friday reiterated his trust in the Pakistan Rangers and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) leading the ‘Karachi operation’, which he said, was “apolitical, indiscriminate and free of any compromise” aimed at bringing the violence-hit city back to normality.

The fresh move by the military establishment to assert its support for the ‘Karachi operation’ and institutions behind the campaign has come amid gradually improving law and order situation in the metropolis.

Lt Gen Mukhtar also paid tribute to “sacrifices” of the Rangers and personnel of other LEAs saying they would not go “waste”.

He was addressing the passing-out parade of a new batch of Pakistan Rangers soldiers as the chief guest at Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, Training Centre and School on the Superhighway, said an ISPR statement issued on Friday.

“Karachi operation is apolitical. It is indiscriminate and free of any compromise and pressure. Terrorists, their aides and facilitators are targets of the operation. We will not leave any stone unturned to achieve these targets,” he said.

The corps commander’s visit of the Rangers training center and his brief speech focusing on ‘Karachi operation’ signals continued support of the Pakistan army for the ongoing campaign against ‘terrorists, gangsters and criminals’ in the metropolis, which began in September 2013 but gained momentum earlier this year.

Earlier in June, hours after the Sindh government started hurling allegations on the Pakistan Rangers that they were “acting beyond their given mandate” in Karachi and the Sindh government asked the Rangers chief to “limit” movement of his men in line with defined rules, the corps commander had paid a visit to the Rangers headquarters and appreciated their efforts for “brining back normality to the city”.

Similarly, the military establishment had put its weight behind the operation after the Pakistan Rangers raided in March the Muttahida Qaumi Movement headquarters, Nine Zero, and claimed to have arrested a number of convicted criminals with a big cache of arms from the party’s offices.

The corps commander’s Friday speech also highlighted the future course of action in the Karachi operation and invited Karachiites to help the LEAs in bring lasting peace to the city.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2015

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