Released TTP men perpetrating terror

NA panel informed Azm-e-Istekam part of NAP

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate standing committee on interior was informed on Thursday that Azm-e-Istekam initiative was part of the National Action Plan (NAP) against terrorism and it was not the kind of operation being generally perceived.

During a committee meeting, chaired by its Chairman Saleem Rehman, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that the government released the people belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from jails under an agreement but those people were involved in acts of terrorism in the country.

The meeting was also attended by the interior secretary and officials of the subordinate institutions including the Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan and the Pakistan Coast Guards (PCG). In the meeting, several committee members raised their concerns over a deteriorating law and order situation.

Senator Umar Farooq said that his father was kidnapped from Quetta, while he himself faces threats. On the other hand, the police worked as if they had outsourced the police stations. He charged that the the inspector of police remained seated in his office while the policemen on the roads collected money.

Senator Nasima Ehsan said that her house had been attacked and her children could not go out. She added that her family could not travel in their own area, while the security officials told them not to travel after 3pm. She also said that whenever she called the IG, he was nowhere to be found.

Senator Saifullah Abro pointed out that there were a few problems in Sindh: in 2023 Dr Ajmal Sawand was killed and a policeman was the accused, but he had not been arrested so far; a journalist was killed and his killer had not been arrested; killers of three journalists had not been arrested in three years.

Senator Samina Mumtaz said that she received the reply to her letter written in May, from the Sindh IG in July. She also raised the issue of losses in fire at Islamabad’s CDA market, and the Noor Muqaddam murder case. Until the culprits were punished, there would not be any improvement, she said.

Senator Jam Saifullah spoke about a huge smuggling racket caught in Balochistan, that was involved in adulterating liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). It involved some police officers, he charged, warning that LPG was highly inflammable and if exploded it would affect five to six miles of area.