Islamabad, Aug 1 (IANS) The Pakistan government must mete out stern and exemplary punishment to those responsible for the vicious spate of ‘target killings’ that have engulfed Karachi and now spread to Quetta, a Pakistani paper urged Monday.
‘This is the only way that the nefarious designs of the perpetrators of the violence can be crushed,’ said an editorial in the Urdu daily Jang.
The Jang also urged various political parties and religious organisations of Pakistan to sit together with the government and devise new ways to end the violence, which has crippled the two cities and created a wave of suspicion and distrust between various communities.
‘The provincial governments have proved unable to quell the violence despite all their efforts. Police, Rangers and FC (Frontier Constabulary) alone cannot control the situation. Various religious and political organisations must sit together and devise ways to end the wave of violence sweeping the two biggest cities of Sind and Balochistan,’ the editorial said.
It also came down heavily on Interior Minister Rehman Malik for his handling of the crisis.
‘Whenever an incident takes place, Malik lands in Karachi and engages in mere talk but no concrete action. His only efforts are futile attempts to assure the people that the violence will be quelled.’
Over a hundred people have been killed in Karachi since July 22 in attacks on residential areas, public transport and private vehicles across the city. At least eight people were killed Sunday and at least 17 on Saturday, according to the police.
Meanwhile, at least 22 people, mostly Shias, have been killed in Quetta in firing by gunmen since Friday.
