Punjab Minister for Home, Colonel Shuja Khanzada (Retd) has said that under national action plan, 352 persons have been arrested after registration of cases against 455 persons involved in publicity of hatred material and 55 persons have been awarded punishment.
He said that two persons have been arrested after registration of cases against 117 persons for fanning sectarianism and delivering provocative speeches while 106 cases have been registered against the persons involved in wall-chalking and 70 persons arrested. He expressed these views while giving a briefing to media-men regarding government action under national action plan outside Punjab Assembly, here Friday. He said that action has been taken against 1500 persons on violation of ban on displaying arms and 1400 weapons have been taken into possession. He said that crime rate is reducing considerably due to strict implementation on national action plan.
Shuja Khanzada said that 143 persons involved in terrorism have been arrested and investigation will be completed before sending their cases to anti-terrorist courts. He said that under national action plan, action is taken on secret information and Director ISI remains in direct contact with district and divisional intelligence committees.
He said that number of persons included in schedule-IV is 1400 in the province, out of which 504 have been arrested. He said that cases of those criminals out of arrested persons considered appropriate will be sent to military courts.
Referring to registration of seminaries, the Minister informed that 50 percent seminaries out of 12 thousand seminaries are registered while 177 teams have been constituted for the registration of remaining seminaries. He said that complete data of registered seminaries is available with Anti-terrorism Department and PITB. Shuja Khanzada said that Afghanis are also being registered and orders have been placed for purchasing one thousand biometric sets in this regard and these sets will be installed at police stations and police mobiles within two days. He said that at present there are 1350 foreign students in the province, out of which, visas of 498 have expired and Punjab government is in contact with federal government in this regard and soon they will be deported. He said that three military courts will start work at the end of current month in the province and 40 cases are being sent to them in the first phase.