Malik promises strict law against terrorism
Monday, July 05, 2010
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: A strict law will be enacted to curb terrorism in the country, Interior Minister A Rehman Malik told the Ulema from different schools of thought in an exclusive meeting on Sunday. The meeting was called by the minister.
The Ulema vowed to join hands with the government for foiling terrorist attempts, promoting sectarian harmony and making efforts for curbing display of arms at public places.They also decided to observe a special day against terrorism to show solidarity among their ranks.
In a joint press briefing after the meeting, Rehman Malik said a successful operation in the Malakand division, and a continuing offensive in South Waziristan had frustrated the terrorists, who were desperately trying to undermine peace in the country.
He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Quaid Nawaz Sharif had proposed a Control Strategy to eliminate terrorism, adding that he welcomed it. We will work with the Punjab government to get rid of hatred and extremism and continue the fight till restoration of complete peace, he added.
The minister also urged the media to boycott those religious segments that supported extremism and promoted hatred in the society. It will give a clear-cut message to the anti-state elements, he added.
Malik also referred to a meeting summoned by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today (on Monday), to discuss a strategy with all stakeholders, including politicians, intelligence chiefs and top officials of security forces for capacity building and controlling the menace of terrorism in the country.
The Ulema demanded stern action against the banned outfits involved in religious terrorism. The nation should boycott those who are igniting sectarianism, Malik urged. We want to give books in the hands of the new generation instead of suicide jackets, the minister said.
At the end of the briefing, Ulema read out resolutions passed during the meeting and reiterated the Fatwa, earlier made through consensus of 43 Ulema. The Fatwa declared suicide attacks an anti-Islamic act. Whosoever kills a Muslim has nothing to do with the religion and Islam, they remarked unanimously.
Maulana Abu Bakar Sadiq, Maulana Muhammad Asad Thanwi, Maulana Abdul Jaleel Naqvi, Mufti Muhammad Usman, Nazir Farooqi, Zahoor Alvi, Maulana Mahmoodul Hassan, Maulana Bashir Ahmad, Asad Alam Naqvi, Maulana Naeem Shehzada, Maulana Aneesul Hasnain, Qazi Muhammad Zahoor, Hafiz Ishaq Zafar, Farhat Hussain Shah, Maulana Akhtar Abbas, Syed Izhar Bukhari and other representatives of different schools of thought participated in the meeting. -Agencies
Our correspondent adds: Minhajul Quran Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri said on Sunday that those protecting the terrorists were present in parliament and the media should hold them accountable. He said parliament had completely failed and it was responsible for the mess the country was facing while the media was setting the agenda which was, otherwise, the role of parliament.
He was delivering a telephonic address during the concluding session of Majlis-e-Shura of Minhajul Quran International here on Sunday.
Tahirul Qadri demanded the establishment of a commission against terrorism under the leadership of the chief justice and urged the media to raise its voice against the system, which was protecting corruption. He regretted that there was no shortage of so-called religious scholars who justified the actions of terrorists. He said it was also the responsibility of the media to expose the supporters, financers and sympathisers of terrorists and extremists.
Qadri said parliament should meet for 14 days to legislate on terrorism for its elimination. He said it was common knowledge who were backers and intellectual suppliers of terrorism. He demanded that the source of support and supply of arms and ammunition to terrorists should be unearthed. He also inquired about the outcome of the investigation into scores of incidents of terrorism, saying that the invisible hands should be exposed.
Dr Qadri criticised the role of parliamentarians, saying that MNAs and MPAs knew everything about terrorists in their constituencies but were maintaining a criminal silence. He blasted the inaction of parliament and said that the country was being turned into Somalia, Ethiopia and Afghanistan, adding that the politicians had neglected the national interest for their petty interests. He said the monster of terrorism had destroyed the country and places such as markets, bazaars and shrines were not safe from terrorists.
He said corruption of politicians paved the way for military takeover. He said General (retd) Musharraf compromised the national honour, security and interests and turned the country into a colony.
Govt may tighten anti-terror laws
By Zia Khan
July 05, 2010
More powers to be given to intel agencies and LEAs
ISLAMABAD: The government has hinted at a further tightening of anti-terror laws and the ceding of more power to intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The decision comes ahead of a crucial meeting to hammer out new strategy for combating a fresh wave of urban militancy.
We will update laws to put more effective controls on banned sectarian outfits, a top official said as Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani prepares to chair a high-level inter-provincial meeting on law and order today (Monday).
The meeting comes in the wake of twin suicide blasts at Data Darbar in Lahore on Thursday night that killed more than 40 devotees and injured close to 200.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik told the media on Sunday evening that the government would plug loopholes in existing laws dealing with terrorism. However, he did not give any details.
The Anti-terrorism Act was introduced in 1997 and was updated once after the current government took over two-and-a-half-years ago. Security experts say new dimensions of the militancy necessitate a further tweaking of the legislation.
Agenda
All four chief ministers, provincial home ministers, chief secretaries, heads of police and intelligence outfits are scheduled to gather at Gilanis secretariat for a day-long brainstorming session. Officials at the secretariat expect Malik and the intelligence chiefs to brief the participants.
Officials say a proposal to establish a new authority to coordinate between various intelligence and law enforcement agencies will come under discussion at the meeting. The proposed body is to act as a bridge between the federal and provincial agencies. The main objective of such a body will be to make sure that law enforcers like the police, the Frontier Constabulary and Rangers respond swiftly to tips from intelligence outfits, explains one official.
Of late, there have been complaints by federal authorities including the interior minister himself that provincial home departments often ignore intelligence reports. On the other hand, after the Data Darbar attack, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif accused Malik of trying to block the flow of intelligence from the center to the provincial authorities. Malik, however, denied the charge.
The new authority is being designed to avoid such issues, says the official, who expects the composition of the body to be deliberated at the meeting.
Further, the schedule for a national conference of countrys political leadership to discuss ways of combating terrorism will be decided in the Monday meeting. Gilani announced the conference last week after a suggestion by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif. Officials say religious scholars from different schools of thought, the top brass of the military and civilian intelligence agencies as well as members of a parliamentary committee on the national security will be invited to the conference.
Punjab govt mulls over situation
Meanwhile, in Lahore on Sunday evening, former premier Nawaz Sharif met senior leaders of his party to determine a future course of action for the Punjab government. The days since the Lahore attacks have seen elements within the federal and the Punjab government hurling accusations and counter allegations at each other.
There have been calls from across the country that the provincial authorities must agree to suggestions for launching a crackdown on sectarian outfits said to be based in particularly southern Punjab.
However, the Punjab government is still denying the existence of Punjabi militants and has snubbed a demand for a crackdown on banned sectarian outfits that intelligence agencies say are now in collaboration with al Qaeda as well as the local Taliban.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 5th, 2010.