Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The federal government and military leadership is finalising the strategy regarding the Karachi operation. Some important developments will take place in a few days regarding MQM as well, official sources told Daily Times. A clear message has been passed on to the MQM parliamentary leader Farooq Sattar to decide about the political and parliamentary role of MQM minus Altaf Hussain and help law enforcement agencies to reach out.

On the other hand, sources revealed that the Ministry of Interior sought all the records law enforcement agencies regarding the MQM protest and speeches of Altaf Hussain so the government could present all evidence to the UK government. The ban on MQM was also an option which was under discussion in the establishment meetings and legal experts were also considering various options, sources said.

In the last three days the civil military leadership focused on MQM’s way of politics in a meeting held regarding the national action plan at the prime minister office. They discussed the current situation of Karachi in the aftermath of MQM workers attack on media houses. The Karachi operation was also part of the national action plan so it was a consensus among the participants that enough was enough and now action needed to be taken against the MQM.

The civil military leadership took some important decisions, and some participants suggested a ban on MQM but all legal formalities would be fulfilled and the provincial government of Sindh would also be taken into confidence to make the final decision. The interior ministry and intelligence agencies also wanted a ban on MQM but the federal government was not in a hurry in this regard.

The military leadership was of the view that crime and terrorism has decreased by 70-80% due to the Karachi operation. The city was facing a loss of 5 billion rupees but now the Rangers foiled all attempts of the MQM to jam the city. Sources were of the view that MQM would be tolerated like other political parties who are in the parliament.