MQM-P Demands Pak Army Takeover in Karachi Amid Rising Crime

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has called for Karachi to be placed under the control of the Pak Army for three months due to escalating law and order concerns.

Senior Deputy Convener Syed Mustafa Kamal criticized the Sindh government for its inadequate measures to protect citizens. He highlighted the failure of the police, noting a rise in street crimes that resulted in 60 fatalities over the last three months.

Kamal accused the government and the police of neglecting their duties to combat crime. He charged the Sindh government and police with bias and incompetence, leaving residents vulnerable to criminals. Kamal questioned the restraint on police actions by the Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar.

The MQM-P leader expressed the party’s willingness to collaborate on tackling street crime. He pointed out the pervasive insecurity in Karachi, citing recent robberies and fatalities in the Metroville area. Additionally, the MQM-P has advocated for equal powers for Rangers across Sindh.

During a press conference, MNA Khawaja Izharul Hassan criticized the appointment of Ghulam Nabi Memon as Sindh Inspector General (IG), suggesting it was the result of coercion by the Sindh government over the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Hassan contended that this appointment emboldened criminals, attributing increased violence to the decisions of the Sindh IG, the home minister, and the chief minister.

In response to the MQM-P leaders’ critique, Sindh Minister Nasir Hussain Shah dismissed it as political posturing. Shah highlighted ongoing preparations by Sindh police and Rangers for an operation against criminals in katcha areas. He defended the criticism of IG Memon, noting Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah’s directives to maintain peace. Regarding Hassan’s accusations of blackmail by the provincial government, Shah suggested Hassan appeared to be speaking for the PML-N.