Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief view guard of honour at Balochistan Governor House. PHOTO: ONLINE
“The nation is closely observing the National Action Plan which envisages both easy and tough decisions. We have to ensure implementation on the tough decisions to make this plan a success,” he said while chairing a meeting of the Balochistan apex committee at the Governor House in Quetta.
Apex committees were formed in all four provinces to ensure implementation of NAP which was introduced following the December 16, 2014 deadly Taliban rampage at the Army Public School in Peshawar that killed over 150 students and staff.
“Today, we are here in Quetta. We have been to Karachi and Punjab for the same purpose: to review progress on NAP implementation,” the prime minister said, adding that the federal government and Pakistan Army were ready to assist the provinces in any way.
“This plan [NAP] does not only belong to the ruling PML-N. It belongs to all political parties, people and armed forces of Pakistan,” he added. “Everyone has endorsed the National Action Plan – which is why we all need to work together for its successful and effective implementation.”
Premier Nawaz said that like other provinces Balochistan was committed to implementing NAP. “Some provinces are doing well, while others are lagging behind in the execution of the national counterterrorism plan,” he said.
He expressed satisfaction over a sharp decline in targeted attacks on the Hazara community. “More serious steps will put an end to the security threats faced by the Shia community in Balochistan,” he added.
The prime minister said the entire nation was awaiting results of NAP and “we have to take tough measures for making this plan result-oriented”.
A concrete strategy needs to be formulated to stop reemergence of the proscribed organisations, he said, adding that we must strengthen the law enforcement mechanism of the provinces so that they could play an effective role in eradicating terrorism and extremism.
The prime minister also directed the provincial administration to identify the madrassas involved in terrorism and violence and deal with them with an iron hand.
Attendees at the apex committee meeting included army chief Gen Raheel Sharif, federal ministers Khawaja Asif, Khawaja Saad Rafique and Jam Mohammad Kamal, Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, Governor Muhammad Khan Achakzai, Home Minister Mir Sarfarz Bugti, former premier Mir Zafarullah Jamali.
Security situation
Chief Minister Baloch said the security situation in Balochistan has improved by 70% to 80% during the past one-and-a-half year. In a statement, he said his administration inherited the menaces of targeted killings, sectarian violence and kidnapping for ransom from its predecessors.
“The coalition government has significantly addressed the law and order issues,” he said, adding that the Frontier Corps, police and Balochistan Levies have made sacrifices in order to restore order in the troubled province. “The National Action Plan has brought the nation on one page,” he said, adding that his government would make every sacrifice to effectively implement this plan.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 19th, 2015.
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