Counter terrorism: Govt considers more active, transparent security policies

Interior minister forms four committees to review existing policies

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has formed four high-powered committees to review major policies to make the country’s operative security system more active and transparent to counter terrorism.

Chairing a high-level meeting at the interior ministry on Tuesday, Chaudhry Nisar assigned some senior officers to prepare their recommendations for existing security policies – “the exit control list”, “granting permission for bullet-proofing of vehicles”, “regulating security companies” and “arms licence policy” within seven working days.

“The minister then constituted four committees, each to be headed by a senior officer of the rank of an additional secretary to further deliberate and build upon those ideas. The bodies are required to present their proposals within seven days,” stated an official statement.



Exit control list

On the Exit Control List (ECL), the interior minister observed that it was quite unfortunate that in the past it was grossly and blatantly misused and names were entered or removed on personal whims and wishes.

“It was regrettable that no heed was paid to these anomalies nor was any attention paid to correct the faults in the system,” he said, adding that there was a need for putting in place a proper system for making entries into ECL with clearly defined parameters and levels to recommend entries into it.

Bullet-proofing of vehicles

Discussing bullet-proofing of vehicles, Chaudhry Nisar underscored the need for devising a mechanism to ascertain the need for grant of such permission to any person. An assessment committee should scrutinise and analyse such requests without referring it to the intelligence agencies in the first instance, he observed.

“Only those who are regular taxpayers and have genuine security concerns should enjoy this facility. We need to discourage those elements who use bullet-proof vehicles as status symbols,” said the minister.

Security companies

On regulating security companies providing security services to civilians, the minister said the new policy should also focus on making it mandatory for the security companies to look after the welfare of their employees and their families in case an employee is injured or loses his life in the line of duty.

There should be a correlation, Chaudhry Nisar stated, with what the security institutions earn and the compensation that they pay to their employees, adding that the policy may bind the security companies to mandatory have insurance of the employees.

Arms licence policy

Discussing the existing policy on granting of arms licences, the interior minister said it was our sincere effort to introduce a system that benefits all.

He said though the provinces are authorised to grant arms licences it was quite anomalous to note that in Punjab and at the federal level, there is a ban on arms licences while the same were being granted in other provinces.

The meeting was attended, among others, by secretary ministry of interior, additional secretaries of the ministry, Nacta officials, Islamabad commissioner and senior officials of NADRA and other concerned authorities.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2015.