Security, missing persons: government to deal with two challenges simultaneously

The Ministry of Interior on Thursday decided to constitute two task forces - one with a well-though-out strategy to ensure better co-ordination and intelligence sharing among the security agencies, and the other to resolve the issue of missing persons. This was stated by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan at a news conference after he presided over a meeting.
The meeting was attended by the heads of different security agencies and all attached departments of interior ministry. The minister said that security affairs were discussed with the heads of security agencies and relevant departments during the meeting. He said the meeting decided to constitute a task force for enhancing co-ordination and ensuring information sharing among security and intelligence agencies, while another task force would also be formed on the issue of missing persons. He said the task force would work in consultation with the organisations and government departments working on the issue of missing persons. He said it was the responsibility of government to provide security to citizens and ensure a fair trial of the missing persons if they were found involved in any crime.
Nisar said heads of all security agencies had been directed to give their input regarding National Security Policy within two days. "The Prime Minister has already constituted a committee for interaction with the armed forces to get their input for the National Security Policy," he said. He said the meeting finalised priorities to improve the security situation across the country and a National Security Policy would be announced soon.
The interior minister said that there should be accountability of failures in security, and he would begin this by making public the findings of a Joint Investigation Team constituted to investigate the Quetta terrorist incidents. "Not only strict action would be taken against those officials who were found involved in any security lapse, but the shortcomings in the security plan would also be removed," he said.
He said the meeting also decided to withdraw FC and Rangers personnel deployed for security duties of important people except the President‚ the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of Pakistan. "There is no justification to deploy these personnel for security of those who can afford private security. To begin with‚ he said he had voluntarily returned 20 Rangers to their parent departments. However, he said that the Ministry would not withdraw security squad of those people who were facing life threats.
The interior minister said the meeting also decided to impose a complete ban on issuance of arm licenses as well as review the arm licenses issued during the last five years. "It is also deiced to impose a complete ban on the display of weapons in Islamabad and security squad will not be provided to the ministers during their movements in Islamabad," he said.
He said that no official of ministry of interior would be allowed to meet any foreign national. He said he was surprised to note that foreigners were visiting interior ministry freely. The interior minister said a number of decisions were taken to make Islamabad a model district. He said all police stations of Islamabad would be computerised within three months and registered FIRs would become a public document. He said that E-surveillance project would be launched in Islamabad to ensure better security in the city.
Nisar said that a massive operation would be launched in Islamabad in three days against non-registered vehicles and under-age drivers while the campaign would be an across-the-board affair. In the first phase‚ checking would be done on three roads - Koral to Faisal Mosque; Faizabad to Convention Centre and Jinnah Avenue in Blue Area, he said. "We have to bring spoiled children back on right track." He added that action would be taken against those doing 'one-wheeling at public places, disturbing families out to relax. He said he had directed Chief Commissioner Islamabad to hold a meeting with Commissioner Rawalpindi and prepare an emergency mass transit programme between Islamabad and Rawalpindi. A flyover would be jointly constructed by the CDA and the Punjab Government on Murree Road at Bhara Kahu to ensure smooth flow of traffic, he said. The interior minister said he ordered the preparation of a list of notorious officials of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration and CDA to sideline them.
The interior minister said he had given directions for the computerisation of Islamabad land record within six months to get rid of Patwari system. He said that security barriers placed on roads going out of Islamabad would be removed immediately. Golra Toll Plaza would be abolished this month to ensure unhindered traffic and in phases all such plazas would be done away with. He said the government received gets only Rs180 million to 200 million from these Plazas while contractors earned about a billion, but humiliate passengers and travellers," he said.
The interior minister said he had asked National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to issue E-Tags to vehicles of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and the bearers of those tags would form a separate unhindered lane at check posts. He said a civic center would be established where citizens of Islamabad would get licenses‚ domiciles‚ attorneys and other documents under one roof in a transparent manner.
He said that rescue 1122 service would also be launched in urban and rural areas of Islamabad while steps would be taken to overcome drinking water shortage on an emergency basis. He said strict directives had been issued to CDA to conduct GIS mapping of all forests of Islamabad to check their illegal use and cutting. "Strict action would be taken against - encroachers in the forest areas of Islamabad," he said.
Nisar said a scheme for rehabilitation of roads and parks of the capital would also be launched on an emergency basis. A team consisting of Nadra and ICT administration would go door-to-door to get photographs and details of house servants as part of the process to check the current rising crime rate. A campaign against professional beggars would also be launched and after two warnings‚ they would be put behind bars, he said.