Right direction: ‘New force to lead fight against terrorism’

Shahbaz says govt doing its best to implement National Action Plan.

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Monday the newly established Counter Terrorism Force would play a frontline role in the country’s war against terrorism.

“Members of the force have been trained along modern lines. The unit will help fight terrorism, extremism and sectarianism,” he told a meeting.

Home Minister Col (r) Shuja Khanzada, Law Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, government’s spokesman Zaeem Hussain Qadri, Chief Minister’s Special Assistant Rana Maqbool Ahmed, the chief secretary, the IGP, the home secretary and the information secretary attended the meeting.

Sharif congratulated the authorities concerned for setting up the force.

The chief minister said the government was doing its best to implement the National Action Plan against terrorism. He said laws against publication and distribution of provocative material and misuse of loudspeakers had been made effective and the ban on wall-chalking was being enforced.

Reception

Sharif addressed a reception in honour of the organising committee of the passing-out ceremony of the Counter Terrorism Force. He said the departments concerned had shown great commitment for the establishment of the force.

The passing-out ceremony was a splendid event, he said. He said the country’s war against terrorism would be won at all costs. “We will defeat our enemies… maximum resources will be provided for the purpose.”

The chief minister said the nation’s future was dependent on the outcome of the war. “We will spare no efforts to make the country a land of peace,” he said. He said victory was the only option in the war.

Separately, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif congratulated the chief minister and officers concerned on the establishment of Counter Terrorism Force.

He said he hoped the force would prove a step in the right direction.

The prime minister said establishing a special unit to fight terrorism was the need of the hour. He also praised the government for arranging what he said was an impressive passing-out ceremony.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2015.