Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that the military and political leadership were determined to rid the nation of the scourge of terrorism.
He was speaking at a meeting in the Elite Force Police Training School in Bedian. The chief minister visited the school for five hours and inspected the training programme of corporals being trained. Sharif also reviewed the law and order situation in the province and security arrangements at educational institutions during the meeting at the school. The chief minister praised the high standards of training being imparted to the corporals and lauded the efforts of experts from the army, the police and Turkey. He said the first batch of the anti-terrorist force would finish training by the end of January.
The chief minister said the entire nation had united against terrorism. He said the war against terrorism would be won at all costs. Sharif said terrorists would not find any sanctuary in Pakistan. He told the corporals that the nation had high hopes from them and the responsibility of ridding the nation of terrorism rested with them. The chief minister said people of their ilk were national heroes and they should strive to protect the live and property of citizens. He expressed hope that they would succeed in riding the nation of terrorists, extremists and their empathisers with the support of the nation.
Sharif said security arrangements at educational institutions should be implemented according to the plan formulated in this regard. He said security arrangements at institutions should be effectively monitored. Sharif said it should be made certain that private institutions adhered to the formulated security plan. He said the education minister, secretaries and district officials should personally review security arrangements at institutions. The chief minister said private institutions would need to ensure foolproof security and there would be no compromise in this regard. Sharif said the cabinet committee on law and order should regularly review security arrangements at institutions.
The chief minister said the Peshawar carnage had saddened the entire nation. He said justice would be meted out to the perpetrators of the massacre. Sharif said the anti-terrorist force would play a pivotal role in the war against terrorism. The chief minister said proposals regarding the enshrining of a service structure for the force should be reviewed. Sharif ordered strict action against those found guilty of misusing loudspeakers, distributing provocative literature, delivering hate speeches and chalking graffiti. He said shops selling sectarian material should be sealed immediately. The chief minister said officials who took a lead in this regard would be rewarded.
Sharif was briefed on security arrangements at institutions and the law and order situation in the province during the meeting. Home Minister Shuja Khanzada, Law Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmed, former law minister Rana Sanaullah, government spokesperson Zaeem Qadri, and Special Assistant Rana Maqbool Ahmed were also present on the occasion.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2014.