CM Punjab announces faceless judges for dealing with terror cases

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that political and military leadership and the entire nation is fighting with full force against terrorists, their supporters and facilitators. He said that “Fatwa” of “Kufar” and killing in the name of Islam are not appropriate nor the government will allow such “Fatwas”.

He expressed these views while addressing a crowded press conference with regard to steps taken for elimination of terrorism. Provincial Ministers Col. (R) Shuja Khanzada, Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, Atta Manika, Members Assembly Rana Sanaullah, Zaeem Hussain Qadri, Inspector General Police, Secretary Home and concerned officials were present on the occasion.

He said that Afghan refugees residing in Punjab will be sent back to their country and a survey is being conducted through information technology in this regard. He said that it has been decided that male and female students studying in religious seminaries whose visa has expired will be deported. He said that with the consultation of Provincial Apex Committee, 43 cases of terrorism have been sent to federal government for sending them to military courts, out of which, ten have been finalized. He said that one thousand biometric machines are also being imported through which after combing operation, suspects will be identified. He said that modern scanners are also being imported for scanning of vehicles.

The Chief Minister said that terrorism is number one enemy of the country and all out steps are being taken for ridding the country of menace of terrorism, extremism and sectarianism. He said that the nation will not tolerate any negligence in the war against terrorism nor it is the time.

Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that more than 50 thousand Pakistanis including officers, jawans of Army, police, politicians, their relatives, children and citizens have sacrificed their lives in the war against terrorism. He said that the terrorists killed innocent children in Army Public School Peshawar on December 16, 2014 and due to their blood, the entire nation from Peshawar to Karachi has united against terrorism.

He said that terrorism will be rooted out with the force of national unity. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, regular meetings are being held with regard to war against terrorism and political, military and religious leadership is participating in these meetings. He said that entire nation is determined to defeat terrorists and there is a complete harmony between the federal government and provincial government with regard to elimination of the menace of terrorism. He said that scourge of terrorism will have to be eliminated for the elimination of poverty, ignorance, unemployment and corruption besides increasing resources and there is no other way.

He said that it is need of the hour to root out terrorism in order to make Pakistan a welfare state in accordance with the vision of Quaid-e-Azam and Iqbal and realizing the dreams of those who sacrificed their lives for the creation of the country. Referring to the steps taken by Punjab government for the elimination of terrorism the Chief Minister said that the law regarding wall-chalking, delivering of provocative speeches, misuse of loud speaker and publication and distribution of literature promoting religious hatred is being strictly implemented while amendments have been made in the laws for making sentences more stringent.

Shahbaz Sharif said that Provincial Apex Committee is working actively and immediate and effective measures are being taken. He said that steps are also being taken to make additional subjects of tolerance, restraint, peace, love and sacrifice a part of syllabus of schools, universities and seminaries. He said that a fully trained Courter Terrorism Force has been set up in the province and its first batch has passed out. He said that modern equipments and helicopters will also be provided to Counter Terrorism Force. He said that Counter Terrorism Force comprise educated youth who has been selected on merit. He said that the second batch of the force will past out in April and the third in August.

The Chief Minister said that Rapid Response Force has also been established in the province and it is being imparted training with the cooperation of Army and the help of friendly countries. He said that the most modern forensic lab of South Asia is operating in Lahore and its branches are being established in nine divisions of the province. He said that Safe City Project has been launched from Lahore and it will be completed by December. He said that the scope of this project is being extended to five big cities of Punjab. He said that digital mapping of all seminaries is being carried out in the province.

He said that the war against terrorism can be won with the help of an effective intelligence system, therefore intelligence wing is being strengthened. He said that life and property of the masses and elimination of terrorism is top priority of the government and a sum of billions of rupees is being spent for this purpose. Shahbaz Sharif said that Punjab government is meeting expenses being incurred on the elimination of terrorism from its own resources and has the complete guidance of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for this purpose.

He said that indiscriminate action is being taken against all terrorists by removing the confusion of good and bad terrorists and political, military and religious leadership is united in this regard. He said that neither the goal of development and prosperity of the country can be achieved without eliminating terrorism nor it can be transformed into a welfare state in accordance with the ideals of Quaid-e-Azam and Iqbal.

The Chief Minister said that if we lost this chance and did not play our role for elimination of terrorism, Pakistan will never be able to stand on its feet. He expressed the hope that the time will come when terrorism will be eliminated from the country and it will become a haven of peace. He said that besides bullet, education, health, justice and economic activities will have to be promoted and poverty and unemployment eliminated. He said that we have given laptops to lakhs of male and female students on merit in Punjab. He said that opportunities of quality education have been provided to talented children of poorest families through Punjab Educational Endowment Fund, Punjab Education Foundation and Daanish Schools.

Shahbaz Sharif said that shelter has been provided to shelterless people through Ashiyana Housing Schemes. He said that 50 thousand vehicles are being provided to the educated youth in a transparent manner for their business under self employment scheme. He said that billions of rupees are being spent for providing potable water to the citizens. He said that a gigantic project of construction of roads from farms to markets has been started. He said that work on energy projects is being carried out speedily for overcoming energy crisis.

The Chief Minister said that first solar project of the country has been set up at Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park Bahawalpur. He said that European Company VESTAS has identified the corridors for generating energy through wind in Punjab. He said that iron ore and copper reserves have been discovered at Chiniot Rajwa. He said that friendly countries are happy over discovery of mineral reserves while enemies are perturbed as they do not want progress of the country.

Shahbaz Sharif said that we eliminated corruption from mineral reserve project of Chiniot Rajwa and brought it before the people. He said that we have converted the graveyards of corruption of former rulers of dictatorial era into minarets of development. He said that elimination of terrorism, extremism and sectarianism is vital for achieving these objectives. He said that elimination of poverty and unemployment is essential for elimination of terrorism and extremism and Punjab government has taken correct measures in this regard.

The Chief Minister said that we are taking sincere steps for eliminating terrorism and expressed the hope that Allah Almighty will help us and we will certainly win the war against terrorism. Referring to the role of media in the war against terrorism, Shahbaz Sharif said that media also has to play a responsible role in this regard. He said that guidance and encouragement of media is needed. He said that criticism should be positive. If unfortunately the believers of one Allah, one Prophet and one Book have divided into groups, than media has to make its efforts for bridging this gap, he added. Shahbaz Sharif said that it is responsibility of media to present such programmes which can help eliminate religious hatred and extremism. He said that history will never forget this invaluable service of media.

Replying to questions of media, the Chief Minister said that the agenda of eliminating terrorism will be forwarded seriously and Pakistan will become a peaceful country. Replying to another question, he said that the enemy is bent upon to weaken Pakistan but we have to foil its nefarious designs through power of unity. Replying to the question about foreign students in religious seminaries, he said that complete survey of seminaries is being conducted and it has revealed that there are about 400 such students whose visa has expired. A letter has been written to federal government and on its reply they will be deported from Punjab.

To another question, Shahbaz Sharif said that majority of seminaries is promoting religious education. He said that some institutions can have links in the promotion of trends of extremism. He said that terrorism is the name of a mindset and we have to eliminate this mindset.

To another question, Shahbaz Sharif said that European Union has put pressure about executions but Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif did not accept this pressure as the situation in European countries is different from Pakistan. He said that we have to eliminate trends of extremism and every person of the society has to play its role for making the country a haven of peace.