November 22, 2008	Saturday	Ziqa'ad 23, 1429

KARACHI, Nov 21: President Asif Ali Zardari vowed on Friday to steer the country out of crisis with the help of people and all political forces.

“Countries and nations go through tests. It is a testing time (for Pakistan), but I have belief in myself, in you and in the people of Pakistan,” the president said at a dinner hosted by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah.

He termed the present situation an “era of economic terrorism”, saying Pakistan was also facing this terrorism, but the country would face the situation with courage.

“The decisions taken by your representative government, including the PPP, MQM and ANP, will save this country,” he maintained.

The president said his government, while taking major decisions, would take all political forces, including the Pakistan Muslim League-N, on board.

“Mian Sahib (Nawaz Sharif) is also with us so far. We are with him. He (Nawaz Sharif) is being misled to leave us. But we will not let him go and will take him along,” he added.

Mr Zardari said that “the forces engaged in misleading Mr Sharif” did not know that “all of us have been facing these forces (in the past).”

Presiding over a meeting held to review law and order in Karachi and the interior of Sindh at the Governor House, President Zardari stressed the need for issuing residency permit to ‘aliens’ (foreigners living illegally) in Karachi.

“This will help improve law and order in the city,” he argued.

The meeting was attended by Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, PM’s Adviser on Interior Rehman Malik, Law Minister Farooq H. Naek, PM’s Adviser on Finance Shaukat Tarin, Adviser on Petroleum Dr Asim Husain, Planning Commission Chairman Salman Farooqui, provincial ministers and City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal.

Sindh police chief Salahuddin Babar Khattak briefed the meeting on law and order.

The president said the aliens would get residency rights, but not voting rights, under the arrangement. He, however, warned that illegal immigrants should not be harassed and the authorities should create an atmosphere of trust among them so that they could get themselves registered.

He said that their stay in Pakistan should be documented and their residency permits issued under a legal format.

Mr Zardari said that government’s top priority was to make Karachi a safe city in order to attract investment, promote industrialisation and boost economy. “We cannot see development in Karachi if we cannot provide security. Investment will automatically come, if we provide security.”

The president asked police to improve their intelligence network to track down terrorists, suicide bombers and their hideouts.

“We will provide you every support. We can create special funds for Karachi police and will provide weapons, modern equipment and vehicles to improve their performance,” he added.

Mr Zardari said that people came to Karachi in search of jobs. “We need to accommodate them but simultaneously we also need to keep a watch on them because criminals and terrorists can also make their way into the city along with migrants from the tribal areas. We need to register all newcomers and police should have record of these people.”

Earlier, Rehman Malik said the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi had found its way into Karachi. “Al Qaeda has been using Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Sipah-i-Sahaba and Tehrik-i-Taliban for carrying out its activities.”

He warned that these organisations might carry out attacks in Karachi. He said there were 17,000 madressahs in the country and of theses 3,000 were in Karachi. “We will regularise them in consultation with ulema of all schools of thought to avoid heartburning.”—APP