The government of Pakistan has imposed direct rule on the southern province of Sindh in a bid to curb lawlessness there.

The Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, said in a televised speech that he could not leave the provincial capital, Karachi, to the mercy of what he called crime and terrorism.

He said that a security operation had already been started in the city -- where more than six hundred people have been killed this year.

The move follows a rift in the ruling coalition in Sindh -- one of its constituents, the Muttaheda Qami movement or MQM, was accused by Mr Sharif of involvement in the violence -- a charge it denies.