Pakistani court orders govt. to take action against Taliban in Karachi

The Supreme Court ordered the government in Sindh Province, of which Karachi is the capital, to take the issue of the presence of the Taliban in the city seriously.
 
Reports say at least 7,000 Pro-Taliban militants have made their way into the country's largest city and its commercial hub.
 
The orders come after Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan said Friday that the militants have decided to target the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in its Karachi stronghold.
 
MQM, the dominant political force in Karachi, accuses Taliban supporters of acts to destabilize the city.
 
MQM, a part of the coalition government led by President Asif Ali Zardari's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is critical of the Taliban's policies and activities.
 
Karachi has experienced a fresh spate of violence and targeted killings over the past few months.
 
    The city is home to numerous ethnic groups and has been hit by clashes between rival ethnic and political factions in the past two decades.
 
 
Thousands of people have lost their lives in bombings and other militant attacks since 2001 when Pakistan entered an alliance with the US on the so-called war against terrorism, according to local media.
 
Thousands more have been displaced by the wave of violence and militancy sweeping across the country.