Zardari praises armed forces fighting militants

KARACHI Assuring their full support for maintaining law and order situation in the metropolis, Awami National Party (ANP) on Wednesday reposed its full confidence in Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza during a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari at Bilawal House.
The ANP delegation led by Provincial President Shahi Syed called on President Zardari at Bilawal House. ANP Sindh Secretary Ameen Khattak, central labour secretary Rana Gul Afridi, deputy secretary general Bashir Jan and others were part of the delegation. The meeting discussed law and order situation in Karachi including the issue of recent spate of target-killings. The delegation also exchanged views on the Local Government system. A list of ANP activists, who were killed and injured in the incidents of target-killings, was presented to the President by the delegation and also informed the President about the problems being faced by Pukhtoon community in Sindh. Shahi Syed while talking to the media after the meeting said that his party has no differences with the PPP. He said his party and PPP had the same stance on LGS, saying that we want the restoration of 1979 system of the local government in the province. He said the legal and illegal weapons were the basic problem of Karachi. He underlined the need for legislation to free the metropolis from legal and illegal arms. Shahi said ANP wants peace in Karachi and was ready to lend its full support in this regard. The ANP leader said President Zardari gave his full attention to their issues and assured that probe into target-killings will be carried out and the government would punish the culprits without any discrimination.
APP adds: Lauding the armed forces and their sacrifices, President Zardari said that the fight against militancy would be pursued to its logical conclusion and law and order restored in all parts of the country.
Karachi would be turned once again into a land of peace and tranquillity in which all people lived in harmony, he said while talking to a delegation of the ANP Sindh.
A Press release issued from Bilawal House said the President paid tributes to the armed forces of the country for heroically fighting against militants. The armed forces as an institution are the defender of the country and the nation is proud of them, he said, mentioning the sacrifices offered by them in fighting extremists and militants. The sacrifices rendered by the officers and jawans in the war against militancy and in defending our borders had earned for them the gratitude of the whole nation, he said.
Zardari said the attempts in the past by some individuals to advance their personal political ambitions could not and should not be allowed to undermine the institution of the armed forces of Pakistan.
He said the government realised its responsibility to ensure security of life and property in Karachi and indeed throughout the country.
In order to ensure peace and security we need to carry forward and further strengthen the process of reconciliation and amity in the country, the President said. The President also recalled the preaching of non-violence of the ANP founder late Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and said that all political forces must join hands in Karachi to restore peace so that development process continued unhindered. The President said that we all should guard against subversive elements masquerading as political activists. The ANP delegation thanked the President for receiving them and also talked about the issues faced by them in Karachi. The President advised Chief Minister Sindh to hold regular consultations with the ANP and address their issues.