PAT gives 11-point recommendations to provincial governments to defeat terrorism

Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) has emphasized the responsible administrative role of provincial governments and the need for proactive and urgent actions for 100 per cent success of ongoing national war against terrorism and extremism in the country. The party has offered a broad set of suggestions and recommendations to improve law and order situation and increase the capacity of the provincial governments to fight terrorism. A meeting held under the chairmanship of central PAT President Dr Raheeq Abbasi and attended by senior party leaders discussed and approved the recommendations here at central secretariat on Thursday. PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur was also present on the occasion.

The meeting warned that if the provincial governments did not upgrade their security system by overcoming its flaws, the war against terrorism will be badly affected and ongoing anti-terrorism efforts will not produce any immediate results. The set of recommendations approved by PAT is given here below:

1. The system of recruitment in police and training should be put under the direct control of the Pakistan Army.
    
2. After the heart-rending Peshawar tragedy, the installation of iron gates and beefing up of boundary walls should be ensured. The appointment of security guards at the schools should be ensured through enactment of law.
    
3. The system of patrolling police should be made effective and check-posts should be set up at inter-district thoroughfares and the number of police personnel detailed for inspection duty should be increased.
    
4. The provincial governments should spend the money allocated for lap top, Aashyana and yellow cab schemes on security purposes in view of emergency situation prevailing in the country.
    
5. The provincial governments should set up separate force for arrest of thousands of proclaimed offenders involved in heinous crimes and action against dacoit gangs and elements involved in street crimes should be declared as part of national strategy aimed at curbing terrorism.
    
6. Police officers and officials who are involved in heinous crimes should be relieved of their duties, charge-sheeted and held accountable for their actions. The standard of departmental discipline of police should be raised to the level of the military.
    
7. Police force should be purged of political influence. The practice of transferring and posting officials on recommendations of members of assemblies should be discontinued forthwith and the Chief Minister Secretariats should have no role in affairs of police departments (Model Town tragedy is the result of political interference).
    
8. An effective prosecution system, free of political interference and influence, should be established to get the dangerous criminals punished in accordance with law and on time. The services of retired judges and expert lawyers should be sought to make the system effective and capable of delivering.
    
9. Local bodies elections should be held without any further loss of time and peace committees consisting of local elected representatives should be established at the union council level which should be responsible to keep an eye on the activities of suspect people. The holding of local bodies elections is not only a constitutional requirement but can also play a key role in eliminating terror syndicates and support systems.
    
10. The Chief Ministers should shun their habit of holding frequent and unnecessary meetings with the senior police officials in the name of law and order. The maximum presence of Police officers in their offices and in field is inevitable.
     
11. All the four provincial governments including GB government should immediately convene the sessions of their respective assemblies and hold detailed discussions on law and order situation in legislatures. They should identify the shortcomings and suggest measures to improve them besides adopting resolutions to declare war against terrorism as a national war.

While speaking on the occasion, Dr Raheeq Abbasi said that PAT is a national political party and its leader Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri has played his role befittingly for resolution of national issues, adding that his services to the nation are self-explanatory be it 600-page Fatwa against terrorism or 14-point anti-terror strategy for establishment of durable peace in the country.