ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Interior Minister, Azam Khan has emphasized the need of an unbiased and across the board equal treatment against the miscreants, saying “Our action should be regardless of any party or any pressure group affiliations.”
He was addressing a meeting on Tuesday to discuss terrorism preventive measures during upcoming elections 2018 at National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) Headquarters, Islamabad.
National Coordinator NACTA, Dr Suleman Khan welcomed the Minister and other participants.
Expressing his views on country’s law and order situation, Azam Khan said, “We should not fall victims of sectarian and religious controversial issues which actually hinder peace efforts.”
The Minister expressed the hope that vital installations, high-risk infrastructure and terrorism-prone areas of the country would not be compromised while deploying police personals and other law enforcing forces on election duty.
The main objective of this conference was to review and coordinate security efforts keeping in view of upcoming elections and security arrangements.
In his opening remarks, Dr Suleman Khan said, “electioneering is a long process. Political parties and campaigners actively convince and persuade the masses for getting elected. It is a public activity involving masses.”
He said despite our security and intelligence-based operations against the terrorists, there are still intelligence reports about terrorist planning to execute their nefarious terrorist designs during election campaigns to disturb peace and tranquillity and law and order during the election campaign.
Briefing was also given by Election Commission of Pakistan on security and safety measures.
All provincial home departments presented their preventive measures planned for upcoming elections-2018.
Senior officers of police and other law enforcing agencies apprised of the meeting on various security measures.
NACTA in its comprehensive presentation informed about threat alerts issued to relevant authorities related to possible terrorist incidents during elections -2018, targeting some of Political Party leaders, and suggesting prevention of such terrorist attacks.
“As head of the NACTA an organization established to coordinate counter-terrorism efforts I would say we have received some very serious reports. Hitherto NACTA has issued 12 threat alerts based upon source reports concerning election campaigns, some quite general and others particulars,” Dr Suleman said.
The meeting was attended by senior officers of all provincial home departments, senior police officers, Election Commission of Pakistan and various law enforcing agencies.