Nisar to present draft: Security policy on next cabinet meeting agenda

New law to tighten noose around terrorists.

ISLAMABAD:

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan will present final draft of the national security policy before the next federal cabinet meeting, likely to be held next month.

The minister has informed foreign diplomats that the new laws would tighten the noose around terrorists, officials familiar with the development told The Express Tribune on Friday.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will formally give approval to the new security policy which includes input from all the security and law enforcement agencies, they added. After the premier’s approval the draft will be further discussed by legislators.

The interior minister was talking to ambassadors and high commissioners of 18 countries who called on him on Friday. “Important views were exchanged on issues like security, illegal immigration and drug trafficking. It was decided to share information, provide institutional support and to exchange best practices in this regard,” stated an official statement.



Bilateral, regional and geo-political issues confronting Pakistan in particular and the international community in general were discussed among the participants in the meeting, it added.

On this occasion, the interior minister said his ministry was tackling the issues and firm steps were being taken to resolve any problems.

The minister reiterated the government’s firm resolve to check illegal immigration, drug trafficking and misuse of official and diplomatic passports as all these factors were bringing a bad name to the country.

He pointed out the decision to cancel over 2,000 official and diplomatic passports, which were issued in violation of rules.

Nisar said that he had set a firm precedence of arresting those immigration officers who were found hand in glove with passengers who travelled abroad on fake papers.

The Dean of Diplomatic Corps Rodolfo J Martin Saravia, Ambassador of Argentina, appreciated the initiative of providing a platform to readdress their issues.  On behalf of the ambassadors and high commissioners, he appreciated the government of Pakistan for tackling the security situation in Karachi and elsewhere in the country effectively.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2013.