Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan is facing the serious challenge of terrorism and extremism and is fighting for its survival. He said that everything, which is humanly possible is being done for the elimination of terrorism and a Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has also been established in the province and being provided all necessary resources.
He said that poverty is the main cause of terrorism and extremism, therefore, Punjab government is implementing a comprehensive plan for the promotion of economic and social activities in backward areas for the elimination of poverty and unemployment.
He was addressing a meeting of Punjab Security Board at Chief Minister's Secretariat here on Sunday, which lasted more than three hours. Senior Advisor Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Provincial Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah Khan, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Assembly Members Zaeem Qadri, Col. Shujja Khanzada (Retd), Raza Ali Gilani, Advisor Jehanzaib Burki, Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Inspector General Police and Addl. IG Elite were also present. The meeting reviewed law and order situation in the province, measures for eradication of terrorism, performance of Counter Terrorism Department and provision of basic facilities in backward areas while a number of decisions were also taken for maintenance of civic peace and improving efficiency of CTD. Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that terrorism is the biggest impediment in the way of progress and prosperity of the country and there is a need for making rapid progress for rooting out this menace from the society and the whole nation will have to unite on a single platform for this purpose. He said that reformation of criminal justice system is essential for taking criminals to task.
He issued instructions for setting up a committee headed by law minister to submit recommendations after considering various aspects for reformation of the criminal justice system. The committee will also consult the departments concerned for this purpose. The Chief Minister said that the tenure of posting of officers and staff in CTD should be fixed and federal government should be contacted for declaring posting of the officers in this department as field posting. The Chief Minister described the briefing given by Addl. IG CTD Mushtaq Sukhaira as comprehensive and said that nothing could be more important than maintenance of law and order in the present circumstances and the department has been given all out resources for this purpose. Addl. IG in his briefing informed that 564 officers have attended basic intelligence courses so far while other modern courses are also being arranged. He said that the department has also prepared a comprehensive beat book.
The Chief Minister said that promotion of quality education and provision of basic amenities in backward areas is of vital importance for elimination of extremism and terrorism. He said that knowledge is more powerful than bullet. He said that Punjab government has adopted a comprehensive strategy for the promotion of educational and economic activities in the most backward areas of the province.
He further said that revolutionary project of Danish Schools has also been initiated from South Punjab which will not only result in provision of modern educational facilities to the poor students but will also open up new avenues of progress and development in these areas besides elimination of extremism. He said that mobile health units is another revolutionary step of Punjab government and in the first phase six mobile units have been provided in the backward areas of south Punjab and their performance is commendable with regard to provision of medical facilities to the people at their doorstep. He said that 50 more mobile health units will be imported and provided to all tehsils. He said that a veterinary university is being set up in Bahawalpur while four new medical colleges are being established in the province. He said that a new hospital is also being set up in Bahawalpur. He said that five farms over 500-acre land have been completed in Cholistan.
Chief Secretary Nasir Mehmood Khosa informed the meeting regarding development projects in backward areas. The participants of the meeting also gave their proposals regarding maintenance of law and order, elimination of terrorism and reforms in criminal justice system.
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