There is no let-up in the killings in Karachi. For the fourth day straight, on Friday, armed men were almost unchecked, and killed another 33 people, taking the cumulative toll up to 110. This is an intolerable situation in any state, and is certainly not acceptable for Karachi, which is the financial and industrial hub of the country, not to mention its sole port. This bloodshed was not alleviated by the announcement of Interior Minister Rehman Malik that units of the Frontier Constabulary would be rushed to Karachi. Former Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider’s suspicion that this could be the work of some outside force inimical to Pakistan must be given due consideration. However, the solution is simple enough, and the government need not turn to a wide range of solutions as it is doing. Apart from calling in the Frontier Constabulary and sending in Mr Malik, the government is calling an All-Parties Conference and has decided to restore the commissionerate system. The law enforcing agencies have been given shoot-at-sight orders, but the seriousness with which the matter was being taken by the government was evinced both by the meeting called at the Presidency, and also attended by the Sindh Chief Minister, but also the appointment of a new Home Minister for the province in Mr Manzoor Wassan, who exchanged portfolios with outgoing minister Zulfiqar Mirza.
