ISLAMABAD: In a meeting held at the Presidency on Friday to review the situation in Karachi, it was decided that while pursuing the policy of reconciliation with all political forces in the province, the provincial government will urgently revive commissioner system in the city.
The Provincial government will also take steps to make suitable amendments in law relating to the local government system to make local administration more responsive to the emerging challenges to law and order situations in the city and in the province.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani chaired the meeting, which was attended among others by Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Pir Mazhr-ul-Haq, Syed Murad Ali Shah, Manzoor Hussain Wasan, Nawab Mir Nadir Ali Khan Magsi, Agha Siraj Durrani and Zulfiqar Ali Mirza.
Madam Faryal Talpur, Rehman Malik, Federal Minister for Interior, Syed Naveed Qamar, Syed Khursheed Shah and Dr Babar Awan were also present during the meeting besides Spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar.
Briefing the media Spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar said that the Sindh chief minister and the interior minister briefed the meeting about the situation in Karachi and the decisions about Karachi were taken in the light of the briefings.
It was also decided that peace and law and order in Karachi would be maintained at all costs, he said.
He said that it was decided during the meeting that judges will be appointed to the vacant posts of anti-terror courts and prosecution branch would be beefed up to provide an effective legal framework for dealing with the criminals and lawless elements.
Farhatullah Babar said that the President while taking notice of the recent wave of killings in Karachi had directed the interior minister to proceed to Karachi and to coordinate with the provincial authorities on the issues relating to law and order.
Rehman Malik briefed the meeting about situation in Karachi and his meetings with the law enforcing agencies.
Farhatullah Babar said that meeting discussed deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi and expressed concerns over the recent spate of killings.
The President directed the provincial authorities to take necessary steps for restoring peace in the city and to bring the culprits to book regardless of their political affiliations.
The president said government would not allow anyone to take law into its own hands and would use all possible means to ensure safety and security of the people.
The President also called upon political leadership of Karachi to complement government's efforts in restoring peace in the city and bringing miscreants to the book.
The meeting also expressed grief and sympathies with the victims of recent killings and condoled with the families of the victims.