The English-language monthly quotes reports to say that corps commanders at a recent meeting were of the view that internal security had become an even greater problem than external security threats because of inept government policies. The issues raised by Karamat remain unresolved and might resurface in the coming months if not sooner, they felt.

In his October 5 address at the Navy War College in Lahore, Karamat had said that Pakistan could ill-afford the destabilising effects of polarisation, vendetta and insecurity-driven expedient policies. He suggested the establishment of a national security council consisting of representatives of the government and the armed forces.Two days later he was unceremoniously asked to resign by the prime minister.

Karamat's ouster is being seen as an insult to the army and ``the army does not forget insults'', former army chief General Aslam Beg told the Herald in an interview. He was definitely forced to retire and this has caused great resentment within the army...,'' he said, adding that ``the issue of the national security council still remains unresolved and will continue to bother policy makers and those who are at the helm of affairs in the army''.

Aslam Beg, who himself had twice suggested institution of the security council when he was army chief, said the need for such an institution continues to be felt. The accompanying article in the Herald says the new army chief, General Pervez Muaharraf, would himself put up the proposal if the present state of affairs continued.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has accused the Nawaz Sharif government of trying to crush the largest representative party of migratedMuslims from India and vowed to take revenge for ``atrocities'' against its leaders.

The threat came after two MQM legislators, including a 60-year-old member of the Sindh assembly, were arrested in a late night raid on Friday and the party alleged that they might be tortured to death by police in custody.Rejecting the government's move to establish military courts in Karachi to try cases of ``specific nature'', MQM senator Aftab Sheikh warned of ``revenge'' if the ``ongoing atrocities against Mohajirs were not stopped''.

Sheikh, who with other MQM leaders addressed a press conference at their party headquarters in Karachi yesterday, also alleged that Sharif was ``dreaming of capturing Karachi by crushing its representative party, MQM, at all costs''.

MQM, which represents the Mohajirs, mainly settled in Karachi, is the second largest party in Sindh after Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People'S party.Sheikh said invoking Article 245 of the constitution to call the army for aid of the civilian authority hadclearly indicated the ``designs'' of the Sharif government.

Sheikh alleged that during the raid, police ransacked the MQM party office and beat up leaders and other workers, including women.

``It is the most condemnable act of Pakistan's democratic history as an MP was severely beaten up by the police,'' he said.

Two MQM members of the provincial assembly, 60-year-old Shoaib Bukhari and Wakil Ahmed Jamali, along with three other party workers, were arrested during the raid.

MQM leaders have also sent telegrams to the president, the prime minister and the chief justice, urging them to ``save the lives'' of the arrested leaders even as a senior police officer claimed Bukhari had been arrested following evidences of his involvement in a murder case.

The message said the aged Bukhari might not survive the police torture.Karachi deputy inspector general of police Farooq Amin Qureshi meanwhile said Bukhari was arrested following a confessional statement of the alleged killer of the brother of a formerchief minister of Sindh province.