LAHORE, Dec 1: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Monday expressed shock at the loss of life in recent violence in Karachi and urged the government to ensure that the city is purged of weapons and no one is allowed to fan ethnic strife there.

In a statement issued here on Monday, the commission said: “The loss of life and property in Karachi in acts of indiscriminate violence in the past two days is truly alarming.

Deployment of paramilitary force in the sensitive areas to help control the situation is needed, but such deployment and shoot-at-sight orders do not address the causes of violence.”

Saying that Talibanisation was no doubt a serious threat not only in Karachi, but for the whole of Pakistan, the commission, however, added that it could not be made a pretext to fan ethnic violence.

It also expressed its concern at statements by some political leaders in which karachiites were urged to buy weapons.

“Also disappointing have been the slogans for expulsion from Karachi of citizens from other provinces.

The Constitution guarantees every citizen’s right to live in any part of the country, and this right cannot be compromised,” it added.

It said the extent and use of weapons in the hands of non-state actors in the city in the last few days had been horrific, demanding the government should ensure that the city was de-weaponised in a truly unbiased manner.

“The possibility of the government achieving that depends to a large extent on it convincing the citizens of

its ability and willingness to protect all so that they need not keep private arms to protect themselves.

The significance of impartial action cannot be emphasised enough. Picking favourites must be avoided as that could lead to disastrous consequences,” the statement concluded.