High-level meeting agrees to expand scope of combing operations after Quetta tragedy
The meeting was held in the backdrop of Quetta hospital carnage.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – A high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday agreed to expand the scope of combing operations in Pakistan to eliminate menace of terrorism, Dunya News reported.
The meeting was held in the backdrop of Quetta hospital carnage to review Pakistan’s internal security situation.
Federal ministers including Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Army Chief General Raheel Sharif, DG ISI, DGMO and DG IB attended the meeting.
The meeting discussed at length the internal security situation of the country and different aspects of the National Action Plan.
Minster for Interior Ch, Nisar and National security Advisor Lt Gen R. Nasir Khan Janjua briefed the premier on how terrorist organizations are attacking soft targets. The meeting observed that after achieving successful results from operation Zarb-e-Azb in FATA, terrorists are now changing their targets other than the state institutions out of desperation.
The Prime Minister said that we are in a state of war with an ideology that wants to change our way of life. He said the government is committed to take all necessary steps to ensure that blood spilled in Quetta carnage does not go waste.
He emphasized on seamless coordination between law enforcement agencies as well as among the provincial governments and the federal government to achieve optimum results within a short period of time.
The PM expressed his resolve that we will make Pakistan secure from every terrorism and extremism.
The country has embarked upon a right track and we will enable every citizen to reap the benefits of a secure, stable and prosperous Pakistan, he added.
Nawaz Sharif further added that terrorists think that they can sow the seeds of disharmony and disunity in the nation. The nation is united and supports the government to stay on the course of completely eliminating the terrorists from Pakistani society.
He decided to call for a broader meeting on Thursday for detailed discussions on NAP .
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar briefed the participants that there has been progress regarding reforms in madrassas (seminaries) and the authorities are ready to conduct registration of madrassas under the plan.
He said a meeting of religious scholars will be summoned to discuss the matter.
Monday’s terror attack at Quetta civil hospital was the deadliest in Pakistan after Lahore’s Iqbal Town Park bombing that killed at least 72 people.
The motive behind the attack was unclear, but several lawyers have been targeted during a recent spate of killings in Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, which has a history of militant and separatist violence.
Earlier on Tuesday, Army Chief General Raheel Sharif directed the commanders and intelligence outfits that they should further intensify the combing, and targeted operations with full vigour to eliminate terrorists and sleeper cells.
He also directed commanders to provide all necessary assistance to provincial LEAs in their capacity building through training, resourcing and planning so as to integrate them effectively in counter terrorism operations.
NATIONAL ACTION PLAN
A 20-point "National Action Plan" (NAP) to rein in militancy was introduced after deadly terrorist attack on Army Public School in Peshawar in December, 2014.
Nearly 300 death row prisoners have been hanged so far since the government lifted a six-year moratorium on death penalty on December 17, 2014. The terrorists were involved in killing of civilians as well as of personnel of law enforcement agencies.
According to the Ministry of Information, security forces have carried out 54,376 combing operations so far under NAP and as results of these 60,420 arrests were made. Similarly, 3,019 intelligence based operations were carried out and 1,388 intelligence reports were shared with intelligence agencies.
