Lahore - PTI leader Dr Yasmeen Rashid yesterday blamed Karachi unrest on military dictators. “Gen Ziaul Haq backed the elements who shed blood in Karachi, followed by Gen Musharraf’s support for letting the terrorist go on rampage,” he said in Waqt News Programme Insight with Salim Bokhari.

“Karachi, a big city of Pakistan, is generating 60 percent revenue even in today’ worst situation” she said, adding that now operation was being dubbed an ‘action against one party’.

MQM’s Asif Hasnain said his party was not taken into confidence over the ongoing anti-crime operation. He rejected the impression that the MQM was against the swoop.

“Being a major party of Karachi, we want peace” he said alleging that politicking was the reason behind worsening law and order.

“The police department was politicized and merit was defied in posting cops. The MQM has been calling for action against Taliban whose wings have been working in the city since long,” he maintained. Haider Zaman Qureshi of MQM seconded the ongoing anti-crime operation, saying: “The action is bearing fruit.”

He rejected the impression that his party did not played its part for restoring peace in Karachi during its rule.

He found the tussle between Centre and Sindh government behind current situation, saying: “The PPP and PML-N are battling to save their people.”

He questioned as to how the PML-N could bring to justice the culprits of Karachi violence when, according to him, the ruling party was struggling to get fixed the Panama Leaks problem.

Defence Analyst Gen (r) Javed said the Sindh Rangers has been playing a pivotal part in keeping Karachi part of Pakistan for the past 30 years.

“Politicians have been politicising the situation. No practical steps were taken to bring in betterment. Servicemen and policemen were struggling for the cause,” he said, and recalled imposing of Governor’s Rule to quell surging violence in the commercial hub of the country.