Combating terror: Govt considering setting up Counter Terrorism Council

CM to get final briefing about proposal this week.

LAHORE:

The government is considering the formation of a Counter Terrorism Council (CTC) to deal with terrorism, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The paper work for the council is complete and a final presentation will be given to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif this week, a government official, requesting anonymity because he is not authorised to talk to the media, told The Express Tribune.

“The chief minister has attended preliminary meetings over the issue. The final presentation is due this week. The CM will chair the council. Home Minister Col (retd) Shuja Khanzada will be one its senior members. The home secretary and the inspector general of police (IGP) too will be its members,” the official said. “It will be the first council of the kind in the province,” he said.



“The council will give policy guidelines to eliminate terrorism from the province. It will have the authority to summon the help and assistance of any department. It will serve as a think tank for the government and advise how specialised policies can be formed to counter terrorism,” the official said. “Former law minister Rana Sanaullah may also be a member,” a cabinet minister, requesting anonymity because the proposal has not been finalised yet, told The Express Tribune.

“The first batch of the 1,300 Counter Terrorism Department personnel has almost completed its training. Their passing out ceremony will be held in January. The government is relying on these personnel to make an effective setup to counter terrorism. They have been trained by Turkish police and Pakistan Army officials,” he added.

He said that Sharif will also chair a working group at provincial level which was formed under the National Action Plan against Terrorism by the prime minister.

“The CM has conveyed to the relevant quarters in the province that countering terrorism is the top priority. No negligence will be tolerated in this regard.

At a meeting on December 22, Lahore Corps Commander Lt Gen Naveed Zaman had assured the government that the army will cooperate with the administration and the police in dealing with terrorism,” he said.

“Rangers Director General Maj Gen Tahir Javed Khan, 10th Division General Officer Commanding Maj Gen Aamir Abbasi, Home Minister Col (retd) Shuja Khanzada, lawmakers Rana Sanaullah, Zaeem Hussain Qadri and other senior officials were also present in the meeting,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2014.