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DATE=11/20/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-241947 TITLE=PAK KARACHI / MILITARY (L ONLY) BYLINE=ALI ZAIDI DATELINE=ISLAMABAD CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: PAKISTAN'S GOVERNMENT HAS ENLISTED THE COUNTRY'S ARMY IN ITS EFFORT TO QUELL VIOLENCE IN THE SOUTHERN PROVINCE OF SINDH. UNDER THE MOVE MILITARY COURTS WILL BE SET UP TO TRY SUSPECTED TERRORISTS. ALI ZAIDI REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD. TEXT: PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF SAYS HE HAS INVOKED ARTICLE 245 OF PAKISTAN'S CONSTITUTION, ALLOWING THE ARMY TO BE CALLED IN TO AID THE CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT IN THE PROVINCE OF SINDH. SPEAKING AT A NEWS CONFERENCE IN KARACHI, MR. SHARIF SAYS MILITARY COURTS ARE BEING SET UP AND CASES INVOLVING TERRORISM AND OTHER SERIOUS CRIMES WILL IMMEDIATELY BE SHIFTED TO THEM FROM CIVIL COURTS. THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS THESE MILITARY COURTS WILL DELIVER JUSTICE "WITHIN DAYS." MR. SHARIF HAS PREVIOUSLY EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION OVER THE INABILITY OF THE CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATION TO CURB THE VIOLENCE IN KARACHI, THE CAPITAL OF SINDH PROVINCE. WITH MORE THAN 800 PEOPLE KILLED IN THE CITY SO FAR THIS YEAR -- MOST OF THEM VICTIMS OF POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS STRIFE -- MR. SHARIF LAST MONTH DISMISSED THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT AND IMPOSED DIRECT RULE. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED SINCE THEN, MANY OF THEM MEMBERS OF KARACHI'S LARGEST POLITICAL GROUP -- THE M-Q-M. MR. SHARIF ACCUSES THE M-Q-M OF BEING INVOLVED IN THE VIOLENCE IN KARACHI. FOR ITS PART, THE M-Q-M -- A FORMER ALLY OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S PARTY -- ACCUSES THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OF MASTERMINDING THE VIOLENCE TO UNDERMINE ITS POPULARITY AND JUSTIFY A CRACKDOWN ON ITS ACTIVISTS. THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION INVOKED FRIDAY IS THE MOST RADICAL MOVE SO FAR IN EFFORTS TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION IN KARACHI. A PREVIOUS ATTEMPT TO END VIOLENCE IN THE CITY, LAUNCHED IN THE EARLY NINETIES, ALSO INVOLVED THE ARMY -- BUT WITHOUT THE KIND OF SWEEPING POWERS ENVISAGED IN THE LATEST ACTION. MR. SHARIF SAYS APPEALS AGAINST RULINGS OF THE MILITARY COURTS CAN ONLY BE FILED IN SIMILAR COURTS. ANALYSTS SAY THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION CAN ALSO BE USED TO CURB POLITICAL AND CIVIL RIGHTS IF THE GOVERNMENT CHOOSES TO DO SO -- A PROSPECT WHICH THE PRIME MINISTER REFUSED TO COMMENT ON. MR. SHARIF SAYS EXTREME MEASURES ARE NEEDED BECAUSE THE TERRORISTS HAVE BECOME TOO POWERFUL FOR THE CIVIL ADMINISTRATION TO DEAL WITH. HE SAYS THE MILITARY WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED IN THE SAME WAY. BUT OPPOSITION POLITICIANS WERE QUICK TO CONDEMN THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE ARMY IN KARACHI. THEY SAY MR. SHARIF'S ACTIONS ARE DICTATORIAL, AND WILL ONLY WORSEN THE SITUATION. (SIGNED) NEB/AZ/KL 20-Nov-98 10:44 AM EST (1544 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .