Fighting terrorism: ‘Sindh govt determined to implement NAP’

CM reviews execution of apex committee decisions, discusses law and order

KARACHI: The government is striving to implement the National Action Plan (NAP) in Sindh and this is the only way to eliminate terrorism from the province, said Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah on Thursday.

The CM said this while presiding over a meeting at New Sindh Secretariat to review the implementation of the Sindh apex committee's decisions.

IG's briefing

While discussing the progress of NAP in Sindh since the operation against terrorists was started, the IG said that 3,069 operations have been conducted so far across Sindh, in which 4,513 suspects have been apprehended. The IG gave a presentation on action taken against militants and said that 75 cases have been registered and all of them were charge-sheeted in courts.

The IG told the CM that 2,278 cases of the Loud Speaker Act violation have been registered under NAP and 1,584 suspects have been arrested. Referring to Afghan nationals living illegally in Sindh, the IG said that 1,521 cases have been registered, out of which 1,197 were charge-sheeted in courts.

He claimed that spread of hate material is another major concern under the NAP. Under this, the police have so far registered 119 cases, out of which 76 have been charge-sheeted and 16 have been decided by the courts. Presently, 26 accused are in jail, 13 are on bail and 23 suspects have been acquitted, he revealed.

Speaking about the violation of the Arms Act, the IG said that 17,564 cases have been registered, 16,166 have been charge-sheeted and 1,771 have been decided. The police have arrested 16,597 suspects under the law, while 10,817 of the accused are in jail, 72 are in police custody, 4,268 are on bail and 1,576 have been acquitted.

So far 159 cases of sectarian violence have been registered, the IG said, adding that 131 suspects were also detained. He said that the police have registered seven cases of terror financing, out of which six were charge-sheeted in court.

Corps commander's call-on

The CM and Karachi Corps Commander Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar discussed the progress of the apex committee's decisions, law and order in Sindh, security arrangements for Muharram and the ongoing targeted operation during a meeting at CM House on Monday.

Mukhtar reviewed the overall security related issues that will be discussed in the NAP meeting to be held under Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad on Tuesday. So far the Sindh government has held 16 meetings of the provincial apex committee.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 4^th, 2016.