PM committed to restore peace in Karachi: Mamnoon

KARACHI: President Mamnoon Hussain here on Monday said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is committed to restore peace and security in the city and the government is making its best efforts on this account.
However, he said , certain political expediencies at local level are creating hindrances to proceed with the on-going targeted operation in the city to its logical end.
The President was talking to representatives of print and electronic media during an interactive session with them at the State Guest House.
Mamnoon Hussain said that he had a detailed discussion on Karachi situation with Sindh Governor Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan and he intended to have a similar meeting with the Chief Minister today.
He said that ensuring peace and security in the country and strengthening economy is the top priority of the government. Improving law and order situation in Karachi is essential for the revival and growth of the country's economy, he maintained. He said that Karachi has become a sanctuary for terrorists and other criminals because it has around 20 million population and more than 500 kutchi abadies. Had the law enforcing agencies taken it serious and reacted strongly , these abadies would not have emerged, he said.
Mamnoon Hussain said that the social and economic issues and challenges facing Pakistan these days and low scale of development are mainly because of repeated de-railing of democracy or creating hurdles in the democratic process over the last 66 years. In India, the democratic process smoothly moved on and as the result national institutions strengthened and flourished there. This contributed a lot to the development process of the country. The President described his visit to China as very successful.
He declared the economic corridor as a unique project of the present century which is being executed with the cooperation of China. Not only Pakistan and China but central Asia and entire Europe will benefit from the mega project. Later, the corridor will be expanded to Karachi from Gwadar.
He said two nuclear power plants being set up in Karachi in cooperation with China will generate 2200 MW electricity daily. Three more such plants will be set up in other areas of the city.
He said that China will also soon start the work on Lahore - Karachi Motorway.
China will purchase JF-17 thunder fighter aircraft from Pakistan for its air force. This will increase the demand for our aircraft in international market. China will sell to Pakistan JF-17 fighter helicopters and these will prove an effective tool in war against terrorism. China will also supply a submarine to Pakistan, he said.
He informed the media that China wanted to make investment in many projects in Pakistan. The investment by China will also create employment opportunities here.
He said Chinese authorities showed their concern over the security of the Chinese working in Pakistan and he assured them of a better security cover to the Chinese friends. Mamnoon Hussain said that he had discussed the issue with Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and suggested for a forming a special force to provide foolproof security to Chinese. To a question, he said Pakistan wanted its best relations with all other countries including United States and the neighbouring countries.
Mamnoon said that he is the Chancellor of 17 universities of the country and he would be working for the promotion of quality education and for better health facilities in nook and corner of the country.
He said that he was personally taking interest and supporting polio campaign in the country so that we can succeed in overcoming this menace at the earliest.