Political leadership stands behind Rangers, says Pervaiz

ISLAMABAD: The Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, on Sunday said that the political leadership stood behind the Rangers in order to nab the criminals in Karachi. He said criminals from any group would not get any relaxation on a political basis.
Talking to media persons here at the President House after again taking oath as a federal minister, he said the law-enforcement agencies, including the Rangers, had no role in politics and they were taking action according to the unanimous decisions of the democratically-elected government.
“If anybody has complaints regarding the operation in Karachi, he can approach the independent judiciary,” he said, adding, “We do politics of reconciliation and not that of expediency.”He said that if any criminal used the flag and office of any political party, it was an obligation of that political party to surrender the person to the law.
The minister said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was determined to rooting out terrorism and the armed forces and security agencies were successfully continuing the Operation Zarb-e-Azb for the elimination of terrorism.
“The armed forces, security and intelligence agencies and police are chasing the terrorists.”He said the government owned the operation in Karachi and indiscriminate action would be taken to establish peace in the city and nab criminals.“Nobody will be allowed to indulge in crime on the pretext of religion and politics,” he warned.
The minister said a parliamentary political party could not be deprived of its democratic rights to participate in parliamentary democratic polity of the country. It was the responsibility of the government to protect this legitimate right but nobody had the right to commit a crime on the pretext of politics, he added.
“I believe that all the political parties in parliament will back law-enforcement agencies and cooperate with state institutions to ensure the supremacy of law.”Senator Pervaiz said, “Whether a criminal is in a Madrassa or in the office of a political party, he will be apprehended. Any hurdle in this process will be removed.”
He said that all the political parties were united on the issues of terrorism, energy crisis and economic problems.To a question, the minister said all the institutions of the country should be respected and indecent and inappropriate language should not be used against them. He said the culture of abuse and bullet should end. The political leaders should respect and follow the laws related to the integrity and honour of security institutions of Pakistan.
“One should realise that the choice of words also has an effect on one’s own personality,” he noted.The minister said the Constitution, parliament and government backed the security institutions to eradicate criminal activities.
He said the state was fully supporting the Rangers’ operation in Karachi and nobody would be allowed to go against the law and undermine its supremacy.The minister said the Zarb-e-Azb and the ongoing Karachi operation were started with the support of all the political parties. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif himself went to Karachi before the start of the operation, he added.
To another question, he said that Sindh chief minister was the captain of the operation and as stated by the prime minister, the provincial chief executive was leading the Karachi operation.
The chief minister, he added, had supported all the decisions made in the meetings on the law and order situation in Karachi.
The minister strongly condemned the terror incident in Lahore and said all Pakistanis, irrespective of their religion, were brothers and sisters.It was the responsibility of the government to arrest and bring those to justice who perpetrated the heinous terror attack in Lahore, he remarked.
On the occasion, Federal Minister Mushahidullah Khan condemned the Lahore terror incident and said that foes of Pakistan were involved in terrorist bids in the country.He said Pakistan was a nuclear country and its enemies did not want it to progress and become a strong nation.
“With these incidents, we will not get blackmailed on the Karachi operation and Zarb-e-Azb.”He said the government was determined against the terrorists and would not compromise on its stance against terrorism.