KARACHI: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has asked the Sindh government to take an across-the-board action against criminals, target killers and extortionists and bring them to justice.

“The government is aware of its responsibilities and will not leave Karachi at the mercy of gangsters and mafias,” the prime minister told a delegation of business leaders who called on him at the Governor’s House here on Friday.

Mr Gilani said that thousands of acres of state land in Karachi worth billions of rupees would be retrieved from land-grabbers once the deadline was over.

In reply to a question, he said a committee headed by the finance minister had been set up to prepare a restructuring plan for loss-making public sector enterprises, including PIA, Pakistan Steel and Railways.

Members of the delegation comprising Siraj Qasim Teli, S.M. Muneer, Zubair Motiwala, Saeed Shafique, Aqeel Karim Dedhi, S. Ali Habib and Majid Aziz requested the prime minister to direct the FBR and ministries of finance and commerce to simplify the procedures dealing with the business community and formulate policies on a long-term basis.

They stressed the need for restoring peace in the city and taking confidence-building measures for long-term investment in the country.

Referring to worrisome signals from the United States and IMF, they said the country could overcome the crisis on its own if the government provided a congenial environment to the business community and took pragmatic steps.

Prime Minister Gilani said there was an improvement in law and order and target killings had virtually come to an end after joint operations by Rangers, FC and police.

But business leaders said other crimes such as extortion, gun running, etc, had not ended and there was hardly any progress on the legislative side in this regard.

The prime minister said some bills were pending in the Senate and asked the FPCCI president, who is a member of the Senate standing committee, to take an initiative.

A leading businessman complained that illegal arms were being smuggled into the country through dry ports by exploiting legal channels and giving wrong inventories. It was suggested that imports through dry ports should be stopped till the installation of scanning and other facilities.