Over 60 target killers arrested in Karachi

Over 60 target killers have been arrested during operations to combat ethnic and political violence in the troubled city of Karachi that has witnessed over 500 lives since July.

Sindh province Home Minister Manzoor Wassan told a press conference on Wednesday that 63 target killers were arrested in joint raids by the police and paramilitary rangers as part of the ongoing drive against criminal gangs and terrorists.

His statement came as the Inter Service Intelligence, summoned by a Supreme Court suo motu hearing, is set to brief the Supreme Court on Thursday on the situation in Karachi.

Insisting that there was no need for any military operation in Karachi, the provincial home minister said that the arrests showed the government's firmness in dealing with the criminal elements in the city.

Wassan also announced that six judges had been appointed to vacant positions in the anti-terrorism courts as per orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The operation was launched by the para-military Rangers and police to nab the people involved in the violence, bloodshed, arson and land grabbing in the city after two months of bloody violence in July and August.

The two months saw around 500 people killed in the violence that some analysts blame on criminal elements and others on ethnic, political and sectarian disputes.

"We have now ordered Armored Personnel Carrier worth Rs 5 billion for law enforcement agencies, besides bullet proof jackets and helmets," Wassan said.

The Supreme Court bench continued its suo motu hearing into the violence in Karachi and has summoned the Inter Services Intelligence Agency and Mutthaida Qaumi Movement on Thursday to present their point of view and arguments.

Chief Justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry also said that former minister Zulfiqr Mirza should submit an affidavit in court if he wants to appear before the five-member bench hearing the suo motu case.