DCC for ‘urgent’ steps to quell militancy

[Ahmad Abdullah Ravian]

ISLAMABAD -
Defence Committee of the Cabinet after thorough deliberations on all aspects of law and order situation in the country, with special reference to the volatile situation in Balochistan and Karachi, noted that special and immediate steps are required to combat militancy and extremism.
Chaired by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and attended by federal ministers, members of the DCC, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Services Chiefs and senior officials the committee agreed that special attention should be given to de-radicalization programme to motivate youth to engage and isolate them from militancy and terrorism and to bring them back to the mainstream peaceful living.
The committee also decided to strengthen the mechanism between the provinces and the federal government on security issues. It was also decided to establish a National Crime Database at the Centre and the Ministry of Interior has been directed to make it functional on an urgent basis.
The Interior Ministry gave presentation on internal security situation to the DCC meeting’s participants.
It was also agreed upon in the meeting that to bring normalcy in Balochistan all the estranged Baloch leaders should be engaged in dialogue process and efforts should be made to bring them back in the mainstream politics by addressing their genuine grievances. In this connection Premier Gilani apprised the committee that he has asked the Balochistan government to engage them in negotiations and said that government was ready to address all their genuine concerns.
Sources aware of the deliberations of the meeting informed that it was also decided in the meeting that a blanket operation against the target killers in port city of Karachi would be carried out mainly under the supervision of Police and Rangers and unanimously reiterated not to call out Army for the operation.
It may be stated that the committee deliberated on all aspects of law and order situation and noted that special and immediate action was required, employing all stringent security measures, to combat militancy and extremism.
It was decided in the Committee that special attention shall be given to de-radicalization programme to motivate youth to engage and isolate them from militancy and terrorism and bringing them back to peaceful living.
The Prime Minister apprised the Committee that he has asked the Balochistan Government to bring the Baloch leadership in the mainstream of national politics.
The DCC extensively reviewed the security issues and decided to keep the situation under constant review with a view to comprehensively and effectively addressing the security issues on regular basis.

 

[Ahmad Abdullah Ravian]

In his opening remarks, the Prime Minister said that the DCC was the highest forum to address matters relating to Pakistan’s national security. It is the government’s strong desire to see all institutions play their role affectively and with high degree of coordination to safeguard and promote Pakistan national interests. The Prime Minister said that in our last meeting it was decided that the DCC should meet regularly to review and take decisions on all matters relating to security and national defence.
Ensuring security of the citizen is the primary responsibility of the Government as issue is of paramount importance and needs to be addressed comprehensively, the Prime Minister added.
The Prime Minister said that consultations, cooperation and coordination between all arms of the government most notably among the intelligence agencies and law enforcing bodies was a pre-requisite for ensuring national security.
Gilani said that Pakistan was passing through a difficult period and issues pertaining to criminal justice system and terrorism particularly suicide attacks had seriously affected the lives of citizen. Both the aspects of criminal justice and terrorism need to be addressed effectively in a comprehensive manner, the Prime Minister observed.
The Prime Minister said, “We need to clearly identify the threat posed by terrorism including the underlined factor such as ideological and motivational, funding, weapon supply, training, organizational support for terrorism groups and those aiding and abetting the terrorists and added, “our intelligence and security agencies have been tested to the limits”.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister spoke to Balochistan Governor Zulfiqar Magsi and Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani and asked them to get in touch with the Baloch nationalist leadership with a view to bringing them back into the mainstream national politics.
It may be recalled here that the Prime Minister has expressed his willingness to personally go to the estranged Baloch leaders to convince them to seek out the solution of their problems through negotiations.