Apex committee vows no mercy for anti-state elements

Intelligence-based operations against terrorists will be accelerated

QUETTA:

The provincial apex committee overseeing implementation of the National Action Plan against terrorism in Balochistan has vowed no mercy for anti-state elements in the province which has been wracked by militant, sectarian and separatist violence for over a decade now.

This was the consensus of participants of the 7th meeting of the apex committee held at the Chief Minister Secretariat on Tuesday. Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri chaired the meeting where attendees included Commander Southern Command Lt Gen Amir Riaz, Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, IGFC Maj Gen Sher Afgun, IGP Ahsan Mehboob and top provincial bureaucrats.



Home Secretary Akbar Durrani briefed the meeting on the NAP implementation in Balochistan. Chief Secretary Saifullah Chatta told participants that two of the six apex committee meetings held thus far were chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.



The meeting decided to speed up NAP implementation in the province, which has seen a sudden uptick in violence since the change of the provincial chief executive towards the end of 2015.

Nonetheless, the meeting voiced satisfaction over successful operations carried out by security forces against terrorists. The meeting decided that intelligence-based joint actions against terrorists and their facilitators would continue, and no mercy would be shown to anti-state elements.

The meeting also noted with satisfaction that sustained actions against terrorists has restored a sense of security among the people of Balochistan, and their trust in the security agencies has increased.



Participants concurred that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was the ‘economic life line’ for Pakistan, especially for Balochistan. No hurdle would be allowed in the way of this multibillion-dollar project, they said, adding that every attempt to sabotage CPEC by creating disturbance in Balochistan would be defeated.

“We have to bequeath a peaceful and prosperous Balochistan to the coming generation. Establishment of a peaceful Balochistan is our top priority,” Chief Minister Zehri said in his opening speech at the meeting. The entire political and military leadership has complete harmony on this, he added.

He said his administration enjoyed the support of Pakistan Army for eradication of terrorism. “Anti-state elements don’t have support of even one per cent of Balochistan’s population. Independence cannot be achieved by targeting innocent people,” he said while referring to Baloch separatist groups who have been fighting a low-key insurgency in the province.

“A handful of people are trying to create instability in the province, but their conspiracies will be foiled,” he added. “The truth always prevails.”



He said bounteous natural resources would be tapped to build a prosperous Balochistan. He also referred to a marked improvement in the security situation in the province which, he said, was visible to all. “The law enforcement agencies are rendering sacrifices for maintaining peace in the province. We salute them,” he added.

The participants also offered Fateha for the victims of terrorist attacks.


Published in The Express Tribune, February 17^th, 2016.