Shahbaz Sharif chairs hours long meeting on law & order

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif presided over a high level meeting here today which reviewed in detail security arrangements and overall law and order situation in the province.

Addressing the meeting, Shahbaz Sharif said that present extraordinary situation demands extraordinary steps, that is why, foolproof security arrangements are being ensured in educational institutions throughout Punjab. He said that no compromise will be made on the security arrangements in educational institutions. He directed concerned authorities to ensure security arrangements in public and private schools, colleges and universities according to the security plan evolved for this purpose.

The Chief Minister said that monitoring of security arrangements should be ensured on daily basis and no negligence or laxity would be tolerated in this regard. He said that committees have been constituted at district and tehsil level for monitoring of security arrangements. He said that elected representatives along with administrative and police officers would check security arrangements in educational institutions and submit report regularly. Shahbaz Sharif while directing provincial ministers to review security arrangements of educational institutions throughout the province said that all ministers should personally review security arrangements in educational institutions of the districts assigned to them and also submit report regularly. He also directed provincial minister to remain present in their concerned districts for next ten days for supervising security arrangements.

The Chief Minister also directed Inspector General Police and Secretary Home to personally go to the field for checking security arrangements in educational institutions. He said that security plan in educational institutions should be implemented at every cost and monitoring of educational institutions through CCTV cameras be ensured. He directed that the concerned departments will be responsible regarding implementation on security plan and CCTV cameras being operational. Shahbaz Sharif directed that warning should be issued to those educational institutions which did not complete security arrangements within the stipulated period and should be bound to complete security arrangements at the earliest. He said that a planning should be made for restarting NCC training for the students in educational institutions as it is need of the hour.

The Chief Minister said that there is a need of unity, peace, harmony and tolerance in the country and special lectures and seminars about these golden principles of Islam should be arranged in educational institutions particularly in schools. Therefore, on the pattern of war against dengue, lectures should be delivered regarding golden principles of Islam like tolerance, harmony and peace in educational institutions, he added. Shahbaz Sharif said that subjects with regard to tolerance, harmony and peace will be included in the syllabus and special committee of experts, elected representatives and prominent Ulema will submit its recommendations in this regard. He said that on the pattern of dengue, questions regarding tolerance, harmony and peace will be included in examinations and this committee will submit its recommendations within next two weeks. He said that education is such a weapon through which the menace of terrorism, extremism and sectarianism can be eliminated.

The Chief Minister directed the concerned officials to continue indiscriminate action against wall-chalking, illegal use of loudspeaker, distribution and publication of literature based on religious hatred and provocative speeches in the province. He said that strict legal action should be taken against those selling CDs based on provocative speeches and shops of such elements should be sealed and action taken as per law. He further directed that indiscriminate action should be taken against vehicles of black glasses and without number plates in the province.

Shahbaz Sharif said that entry and exit points of the province should be checked strictly particularly effective monitoring of entry and exit points of motorway should be carried out. A detailed briefing was given to the Chief Minister regarding protective and security arrangements in public and private educational institutions and law and order situation in the province during the meeting. Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashud Ahmed, MNA Hamza Shahbaz, Spokesman Punjab government Zaeem Hussain Qadri, Special Assistants Rana Maqbool Ahmed, Azm-ul-Haq, Chief Secretary, Inspector General Police, concerned secretaries and senior officials attended the meeting.