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Second phase of 'more severe' Karachi operation from August 14

Nearly two years after it began, the Sindh Rangers on Monday said that the first stage of the ongoing security operation in Karachi had been completed.
The second phase was in the works and would be unleashed from August 14, the paramilitary force said in a statement in Karachi adding that it would be "more severe and stringent" than the first.
The Karachi operation had been kicked off by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on September 5, 2013, to root out crime and terrorism from the metropolis.
"Pakistan Rangers Sindh successfully completed the stage-I of the operation and are well prepared to start stage-II from August 14, 2015 which would continue till its logical conclusion."
This is the first time that the paramilitary force has officially admitted that the operation, which has lasted for over 23 months, would be conducted in stages.
"Stage-II will be more severe than stage-I as the main task is to hunt down land grabbers, target killers, extortionists, kidnappers and terrorists." Sindh Chief minister Qaim Ali Shah on Saturday extended for four more months, the special police powers to the Rangers. "Pakistan Rangers Sindh is committed not to spare any criminal ... Do not worry even if the criminals are very powerful because Pakistan Rangers Sindh are more powerful," the statement added.
According to a performance report released in July, the Rangers had claimed to have conducted 5,795 raids during which they had apprehended 10,353 suspects and recovered 7,312 weapons and 34,8978 rounds of ammunition. Prominent among the raids conducted were the ones on Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarters Nine-Zero and the offices of Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA).
The report added that a total of 826 terrorists, 334 target killers, 296 extortionists were arrested during this period.
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