Daily Times

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Corps Commander Karachi Lt General Naveed Mukhtar met on Friday and discussed certain issues such as targeted operation in Karachi, law and order situation, implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) and extension of powers of the Rangers in Sindh.

The meeting was held at CM House and lasted over one and half hour in a good atmosphere and later it was joined by Senior Minister for Finance, Murad Ali Shah, Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal and Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Law, Murtaza Wahab, said a statement.

The Sindh chief minister said that his government was committed to eradicate terrorism related activities such as target killing, extortion and kidnapping for ransom from the province.

“I appreciate law enforcement agencies, particularly the police and Rangers in restoration of peace in the city,” he said. The chief minister thanked the corps commander Karachi for taking his personal interest in implementation of National Action Plan. The Sindh CM and corps commander Karachi also discussed the issue of extension of the power of Sindh Rangers.

The Sindh CM assured the corps commander Karachi that he was in consultation with his party leadership and the matter would be solved soon. On a separate note, PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Friday reached Dubai from London to chair a meeting of the party’s top leadership.

According to sources, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Bhutto Zardari, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Senior Provincial Minister Murad Ali Shah and Provincial Adviser for Law, Murtaza Wahab, are likely to reach Dubai to discuss the situation in Sindh.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari has also summoned Farooq H Naek to Dubai. The meeting will consult over the powers to Rangers, Panama leaks issue, performance of Sindh cabinet, mayor and municipal elections. The meeting will continue for two to three days.

Sources said the meeting would also discuss the situation after the PPP defeat in Azad Kashmir elections and a new protest movement against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government.

Sources said the extending policing powers to Rangers has become a bone of contention between the provincial and federal governments, as Rangers personnel have stopped snap checking of vehicles at the entry and exit routes of Karachi as their special policing powers deadline expired on the midnight of July 19.