Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Monday explicitly ruled out rolling back the operation being conducted against criminals and terrorists in Karachi.

“We cannot even think of taking any step back as far as Karachi operation is concerned and those who have come in parliament with the people’s mandate should place their grievances and raise their issues on the floor,” he said. He said the government is committed to implementing National Action Plan (NAP) in its essence to ensure that benefits of its success reach every nook and corner of the country. Chairing the federal cabinet meeting, the prime minister emphasised that those involved in sectarianism will be dealt with iron fist and affirmed those who were disseminating hatred, inciting militancy and encouraging terrorism will not be spared.

Nawaz said terrorists play with the lives of the innocent people and humanity by committing unforgivable crimes, and this cannot be tolerated. Earlier, the prime minister was given a detailed presentation on the status of the implementation of National Action Plan. He noted that the operation against criminal elements in Karachi was launched with the consensus of all stakeholders and its results are visible. Nawaz said the citizens of Karachi want peace and the government will not allow political expediency to come in the way of restoring peace and revival of tranquillity in the city of the Quaid.

Prime Minister Nawaz promised the government will continue its efforts to provide peace and security to the people of the metropolis. He directed the Ministry of Interior to prepare a strategy to de-weaponise whole society, saying no democratic government can allow armed groups to operate with impunity. He informed the cabinet that operation Zarb-e-Azb is achieving its objectives with success and the credit of this goes to the armed forces and civilian institutions. He added that even the international community has appreciated the successes achieved in operation Zarb-e-Azb.

Nawaz lauded the efforts and determination of army chief General Raheel Sharif. He also commended the efforts of Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sohail Aman for leading the operation from the front. The prime minister said the situation in Balochistan is improving every day and this process will continue till peace and prosperity are restored from FATA to Balochistan and Karachi. He declared that the future is going to be better than the past. The prime minister also constituted a five-member cabinet committee to oversee implementation of Supreme Court’s directions regarding use of Urdu language for official business in government and semi-government departments. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Pervaiz Rashid will be the chairman of the committee.