No houses to be raided without agencies’ approval

The CM said that raids will be carried out on suspected houses upon the recommendation of one of the agencies.

GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Mehdi Shah said on Friday that raids will be carried out on suspected houses upon the recommendation of one of the three main agencies. “If any of the spy agencies differ on a house, raids on that particular house will not be conducted,” Shah told The Express Tribune on Friday.

Ever since sectarian violence struck Gilgit, police and other paramilitary forces have been conducting raids on houses to arrest troublemakers and recover illegal arms and ammunition.

Last week, a huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from Nagral, Barmas and the Basin areas following raids.

Though Shah did not disclose the names of the secret agencies conducting the raids, other sources said that at least three main intelligence agencies have been authorised by the government to begin a covert investigation into violence that left at least four people dead.

“The purpose of the raids is not to harass residents, but to apprehend the culprits,” he clarified, adding that more restraint will be shown in raids in an attempt not to harass the people.

Over 40 people believed to be involved in the sectarian unrest in Gilgit over the past two weeks have been arrested with investigations under way, police said.

Mehdi Shah reiterated his commitment saying that anybody involved in the unrest will be brought to book, no matter how influential he may be.

“It’s just a handful of troublemakers who are disrupting peace in the region. Not everyone is involved in the violence,” he said, adding that the culprits will be traced and put behind bars soon enough.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2010.