Govt to raise force to manage protests

PM chairs first JTF meeting; vows to uphold public order

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Tuesday that his government plans to establish "a world-class anti-riots force" to manage protests, rallies, and similar law and order situations, aiming to uphold public order with a modern approach.

Shehbaz chaired the maiden meeting of the joint task force (JTF), he had formed on December 1 to identify individuals and groups behind unrest and smear campaigns, both within Pakistan and abroad, and recommend measures to bridge any policy gaps.

The JTF comprised representatives from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Cyber Crime Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the Military Intelligence (MI), and other key agencies.

The first JTF meeting came on the heels of recent turmoil in Islamabad during a protest march by the PTI on November 24-26, which not only led to violent clashes between the protesters and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) personnel, but also resulted in loss of lives.

Chairing the meeting, Shehbaz emphasised the urgent need for modernising Pakistan's approach to managing protests that not only tested government's nerves time and again but also caused losses to the tune of billions of rupees on a daily basis because of the lockdowns.

"Pakistan will have an anti-riot force that meets the modern standards of the world," Shehbaz declared, underscoring the government's resolve to uphold public order and protect state institutions against "a malicious campaign aimed at discrediting" the country, its institutions, especially, the security forces.

In the last week of the previous month, the law and order situation remained tense in the federal capital, as the PTI protesters mostly from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), led by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Bushra Bibi, wife of PTI founder Imran Khan, managed to reach D-Chowk.

The timing of the protest coincided with the state visit of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, which the prime minister called a source of national embarrassment. "It was deeply regrettable that during such an important diplomatic engagement, the capital was thrown into chaos," he said.

He directed officials to ensure that individuals involved in vandalism, attacking LEA personnel or damaging public property must face strict legal consequences. "Those responsible for causing injuries and the loss of lives among law-enforcement officers must be brought to justice," he said.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz asked the relevant authorities to submit weekly progress reports to him about the legal actions being taken against the culprits. He assured that the government would enhance security infrastructure of Islamabad.

In this regard, the prime minister announced the plans to upgrade the capital's Safe City project and addition of a forensic lab to bring it up to international standards. "All necessary resources will be provided to ensure a robust security system," he said.

On the occasion, officials in their briefings, apprised the prime minister of the progress made so far in the investigation into the violence. They said that evidence, including weapons, spent cartridges and other materials collected from the protest site had already been sent for forensic analysis.