Islamabad saved from major terror hits, IG tells Senate body

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior was informed by the IG Islamabad Police, Tariq Masood Yasin, on Thursday that 13 terrorists were arrested last month who were planning to target four installations, including five-star hotels.

The IG told the committee, which met under the chairmanship of Senator Rehman A Malik, that the terrorists belonging to the banned TTP were being backed by Indian intelligence agency, RAW, and the Afghan intelligence agency. He said the Safe City Project was very effective for security, law and order and crime prevention. He said the Safe City project in Islamabad was operational and the cameras installed at different places had been linked with different departments. He promised to further improve the project and said it would be a role model for the other provinces.

He disclosed that the terrorists had prepared a major terror plan for Islamabad in the first week of June. He said an intelligence agency had informed about the entry of 13 terrorists in Islamabad. Acting on the intelligence report, police and other law enforcement institutions were alerted. The vehicles of terrorists were identified through the Safe City cameras, they were not allowed to enter the Islamabad city and arrested. He said Islamabad was saved from major destruction. He said the terrorists wanted to hit two five-star hotels besides Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal Open Universities.

Answering a question about the cost of the project, the IG said the cost of the entire project had been recovered by foiling the major terror bid through the Safe City cameras. The IG said there was no political pressure on him as the interior minister had given him full powers.

Senator Rehman Malik said he started the Safe City Project as interior minister and appreciated Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan for completing it. He also suggested for the setting up of a central database of criminals across the country. He directed the interior ministry to consult the provinces in this connection.

Rehman Malik asked the IG Sindh to submit a report about investigation into the murder of Amjad Sabri. The IG Islamabad said he was himself supervising the investigation into the murder of PIM’s Professor Dr Shahid and the committee would be informed of progress in the investigation.

The DG Nadra told the committee that security clearance had been made compulsory for foreign wives of Pakistanis. SSP Traffic Malik Matloob informed the committee that E-ticketing was being introduced for those violating traffic rules. This system would also help trace criminal elements in the country.