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| Civil, military leaders pledge to uproot militancy |
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Saturday, October 24, 2009
PM directs to reopen educational institutions after ensuring security arrangements
By Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: Top civil and military leadership on Friday resolved to uproot militancy and intolerance from the society and deal with an iron hand with all those who challenge the writ of the state.
Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani chaired a specially convened high-level meeting at the Prime Minister Secretariat here on Friday on national security situation to evolve a comprehensive strategy.
The meeting that lasted for almost three hours, discussed immediate and long-term measures presented by various agencies for eliminating the scourge of terrorism and extremism from the country’s soil.
The meeting was also attended by Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and chiefs of staff of all the nine corps of the Pakistan Army. The meeting reviewed immediate strategy formulated by various intelligence and law-enforcement agencies to make the South Waziristan operation a success.
The meeting was told that Rs 2.5 billion had been released to the Fata Secretariat for the IDPs of South Waziristan. It was decided to constitute high-level committees throughout the country to oversee and plan effective security arrangements besides increasing intelligence-sharing among various secret service agencies.
The meeting was briefed on the recent terrorist attacks in the capital and the NWFP and the security arrangements madethroughout the country in the wake of the ongoing military operation against militants in South Waziristan.
It also approved various steps to further strengthen counter-terrorist efforts in the country. Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said the whole nation is united against the evil forces that are out to terrorise the society to get their demands accepted. He said that failure is not an option despite the ferocity of these attacks. He assured the nation that the government would not allow the terrorists to get away with their cowardly acts and is committed to uprooting militancy and intolerance from the society and all those who challenge the writ of the state will be dealt with iron hand.
He reiterated that the military operation in South Waziristan would continue till its logical conclusion. While lauding the role of the media in formulating public opinion against terrorism and extremism, the meeting urged it not to glorify terrorists and acts of terrorism in any form and avoid live coverage of such incidents as it creates panic and despondency in the public and strengthens the motives and evil designs of the terrorists.
The prime minister also directed the political forces, public representatives and opinion leaders to mobilise public opinion against the most significant challenge to the national security. He assured that requirements of all agencies actively involved in combating militancy would be met on priority basis.
Gilani said the country is engaged in a war to free the nation from the menace of terrorism that has destroyed the peace of the land, bruised the economy and most importantly threatened the freedom of our people. “The wave of militancy has adversely affected every segment of the society,” he added.
The prime minister said the challenges are great and possibly the sacrifices may be higher, but the leaders and people should forge unity in their ranks and have faith and patience to surmount this challenge once again.
He said there is a nexus between the militants and some of the terrorist organisations. He directed the provincial and federal intelligence agencies to strengthen their intelligence network and closely monitor and watch the activities of these organisations.
Gilani directed to reopen educational institutions after ensuring full security arrangements. Referring to the successful military operation in Swat and Malakand, he said despite a difficult terrain and the loss of valuable lives of officers, Jawans of the Army, paramilitary forces and police, the government was able to restore peace and tranquillity to the beautiful valley of Swat within the shortest possible time.
The prime minister emphasised that the success of the Malakand operation was a big measure due to complete consensus and political will displayed by all parties, including the opposition across-the-board. “The need for such a consensus is all the more vital today as we tackle the militants in their own backyard, i.e. South Waziristan being inhabited by all kinds of foreign mercenaries,” he added.
The prime minister said the damage need assessment in the affected areas of Malakand and Swat has been conducted and completed and the reconstruction phase is about to commence. He said Rs 50 billion has been earmarked for the purpose.
He assured that victims of the military operation in South Waziristan would also receive similar assistance. “Simultaneously, the Special Support Programme for the IDPs is fully underway to facilitate resettlement of the stranded families at safer places,” he added.
He said to date almost 120,000 plus people have migrated to avoid the fighting. They are dislocated to DI Khan and Tank. “We will provide them cash of Rs 5,000 per month besides other ration and relief items that are necessary, he said. “Rs 2.5 billion has been released to the Fata Secretariat for the IDPs of South Waziristan,” he declared.
Paying tribute to the brave armed forces which have struck at the core of hardline militants, the prime minister said stakes have become higher and consequently we are witnessing surge in acts of terrorism. He said the blood of martyred would not go waste as the whole nation is united to make Pakistan a peaceful country.
The prime minister said the target killing of a senior military officer and his driver is meant to create panic and to paralyse everyday life. “Early today the terrorists struck again at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra. My heart bleeds for the Shaheeds, who have given their lives for our protection and for future generations,” he said.
In his briefing, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said the ongoing military operation in South Waziristan is moving ahead successfully towards its desired objective while trying to ensure minimum collateral damage.
Minister for Interior Rehman Malik also gave an overview of the law and order situation. Governor Gilgit-Baltistan Qamar Zaman Kaira, Prime Minister AJ&K Raja Farooq Haider and heads of various law-enforcement agencies also briefed the meeting on various immediate measures taken by their respective departments to thwart future terrorist attacks.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Defence Ch Ahmad Mukhtar, Interior Minister Senator Rehman A Malik, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira, Prime Minister of AJK Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider, Acting Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, DG ISI Lt-Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, COS-Southern Command Maj-Gen Muhammad Khalid, DH(C) ISI Maj-Gen Muhammad Zaheerul Islam, DG PS Maj-Gen Masoodul Hassan, DG ISPR Maj-Gen Athar Abbas, DG MI Maj-Gen Muhammad Asif, DG MO Maj-Gen Javed Iqbal, DG SD Maj-Gen Zubair Mahmood Hayat, DG Rangers Sindh Maj-Gen Liaquat Ali, DG Rangers Punjab Maj-Gen Muhammad Yasqoob Khan, IG FC Balochistan Maj-Gen Saleem Nawaz, IG FC NWFP Maj-Gen Tariq Khan, Chief of General Staff (CGS) Lt-Gen Muhammad Mustafa Khan, COS-ASFC Brig Javed Ashraf, COS-AAD Comd Brig Muhammad Maqsood Ahmed, COS-31 Corps Brig Ikramul Haq, COS-30 Corps Brig Ali Abbas Haider, COS-11 Corps Brig Aamir Riaz, COS-10 Corps Brig Iqbal, COS-5 Corps Brig Sohail Ahmad Khan, COS-5 Corps Brig Tariq Ghafoor, COS-2 Corps Brig Sadiq Ali, COS-I Corps Brig Asim Saleem Bajwa, Principal Secretary to PM Mrs Nargis Sethi, Secretary Interior Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, Chief Secretary Punjab Javed Mahmood, Chief Secretary NWFP Javed Iqbal, Chief Secretary Balochistan Nasir Mahmood Khosa, IG Punjab Tariq Saleem Dogar, IG Sindh Sultan Salahuddin Babar Khattak, IG NWFP Malik Naveed Khan, IG Balochistan Syed Javed Ali Shah Bukhari, DG IB Javed Noor, DG, FIA Tariq Mehmood Khosa, Chief Secretary AJK Khalid Sultan, Home Secretary Punjab Nadeem Hassan Asif, IG AJK Javed Iqbal, Home Secretary Sindh Arif Ahmad Khan, Home Secretary NWFP Fayyaz Ahmad Toru, Chief Secretary Gilgit-Baltistan Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad, Home Secretary G&B Capt (retd) Muhammad Usman Younis, DG NCMC WG CDR (retd) Tariq Ahmed Lodhi, IG Islamabad Syed Kalim Imam, Chief Commissioner Islamabad Fazeel Asghar, IG Gilgit-Baltistan Saeed Tehsin Anwar Ali Shah, and Home Secretary Balochistan Akbar Durrani.
Earlier, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, the minister for defence, the minister for interior, the minister of information, the minister of finance, chief ministers of Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan, and Sardar Zulfiqar Ahmad Khosa held a separate meeting with the prime minister.
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