Paramilitary soldiers stand near bomb-making material which was seized by security forces in Quetta August 21, 2013. PHOTO: REUTERS
A senate panel on Wednesday sought a report from intelligence agencies on the alleged involvement of foreign hands in the troubled areas of Pakistan, particularly Balochistan.
“Why is it generally believed that India and Afghanistan are funding ‘Ferrari camps’, if any, in Balochistan,” asked Senator Fateh Muhammad Hasni. “It’s the right time to take up this issue seriously,” he observed.
Senate Standing Committee on Interior was discussing the worsening law and order situation in volatile areas when chairman of the panel, Senator Talha Mahmood directed Secretary Interior Javed Iqbal to invite all law enforcement and intelligence agencies for their input on such burning issues.
“We lawmakers have a serious concern over foreign infiltration—it’s creating more of a mess in bordering areas,” Mahmood observed.
Senior police officers from all the provinces informed the panel that in the last three years, some 48 cases of kidnapping had been reported in Islamabad, 370 in Sindh, 350 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 7 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and 2 in Gilgit Baltistan (G-B); while 400 cases had been registered in Balochistan in last two years.
“Kidnapping for ransom has become a lucrative business now—putting the life of every rich man at risk,” observed Inspector General Police Sikandar Hayat.
The police officers admitted that among the law enforcement agencies there was a lack of coordination, which sometimes halted collective operation against criminal gangs, who had links even in neighbouring countries like India and Afghanistan.
Talking about Karachi, a senior police officer from Sindh said there was zero documentation of criminal record in the port city. “Criminal gangs fully equipped with modern weapons are the major cause behind Karachi’s unrest,” Sindh Police Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Forensic Department Munir Sheikh said.
He stressed on the revision of laws on criminal justice, which according to his observation, had totally flopped and only favoured the criminals.
Committee’s Chairman Senator Talha Mahmood directed the interior secretary to submit details regarding national security plan being prepared after meeting of top agencies with interior ministry officials. He also sought report on Islamabad Safe City Project which, according to him, should be reviewed to make the city more peaceful. All these details will be presented to the committee in first week of September.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 22nd, 2013.
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7 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and 2 in Gilgit Baltistan (G-B); while I am amused that Pakistani part of Jammu and Kashmir is being called "Azad" when the entire world, including Kashmiris, know what it is to be in the Pakistani part of the region which has veritably become a dungeon, with the local Kashmiris politicians having no choice (and the population even less options) but to agree to the diktat from the gun-toting Pakistanis. They cannot protest or demonstrate, as it happens in Indian Kashmir They have no rights, no privileges and no self-determination. Pakistan's "free press" is not allowed to report the atrocities that are perpetrated in that closed part of the region while Indian Kashmiri, despite the cross-border militancy, is an open book and anyone can cover it or distort protests (as Pakistanis usually do).
I like the tone of Senator Fateh Muhammad Hasni, who wants to see the proof before concluding unlike the blind finger pointing by Senator Talha Mahmood.
Ferarri camp ????? I would request the formula 1 team ferarri to ask the pakistani government for explanations regarding the defamation of their franchise and hurting the sentiments of Ferrari team lovers like me. I am anguished at the blatent use of a car company and well known formula team's name with regards to terrorism. I would suggest the name of firoon brigade instead of Ferrari. Thank you. Rab rakha
confused
Sealing the border with Afghanistan is very difficult and nearly impossible. Even ISAF hasn't been able to do that for the past 12 years. However, we have all the power to expel all the Afghan refugees from Pakistan, legal and illegal both. If Afghanistan can't accept its own people, then India should make some room for them in her already overcrowded country.
@Desi: Well you have a long wait ahead of you. This county's leaders are shameless about lying to their people and on one calls them out on that. They still celebrated defense day on September 6 for supposedly defending Pakistan in 1965 when in fact even the Airforce chief of the time Air Marshall Asghar Khan admits Pakistan started the war in 1965
Good suggestion by ministry. I am still awaiting for undeniable proof of India's involvement in Balochistan which was promised by Rehman Malik 4 years ago. Still wiggling my thumb waiting to see this undeniable proof.
The only real solution is permanently sealing the Afghan border and sending all illegal Afghans back. This will not only help Balochistan but FATA, KP and Karachi too
"Ferrari" camps?