Shahbaz Sharif had not sought peace with Al-Qaeda and TTP: Spokesman

Lahore: A Spokesman for Punjab Government has strongly rebutted a news item published in a section of the press, with reference to a report appearing in The Wall Street Journal and the Long War Journal of USA, stating that Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif had sought peace with Al-Qaeda and TTP.

Vociferously contradicting the said news item, the Spokesman said that this assertion is completely false, baseless and concocted.

The Spokesman said it is quite ridiculous to state that Punjab Government would make such an offer to any terrorist group.

The spokesman said, that as a matter of fact, during the past few years, Punjab bore the brunt of the brutality of the TTP. He stated that cowardly acts of the TTP took place throughout the length and breadth of the province. Citing a few cases, he referred to the Moon Market blast in Lahore, Rescue 15/ ISI Headquarter attack at Lahore, suicide blast at Data Darbar, attack on Sri Lankan team at Liberty chowk and GHQ attack at Rawalpindi, which resulted in massive casualties of civilian and law enforcement agencies personnel. Faced with such barbarous and brutal attacks, the people and the government of Punjab have resolved to wipe out terrorism from this province and the country.

The Spokesman said that as a matter of fact, this resolve has been strengthened after the attack on the Army Public School Peshawar, where innocent students and their teachers were massacred. Punjab Government has taken a lead role against terrorists under the National Action Plan, and security agencies are cracking down on miscreants, terrorists and their facilitators in coordination with Federal agencies.

The Spokesman pointed out that the National Action Plan is being fully implemented in Punjab under active supervision and monitoring of Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif. The Spokesman further said that Punjab Government is fully committed to uproot, eliminate and eradicate all forms of terrorism and extremism from the Province.

“No offer, in any shape or form, was made at all by Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif to Al-Qaeda or TTP, or any other militant organization” the Spokesman added.

The Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is directly monitoring the ongoing effective operation of police and other security institutions under the National Action Plan, against terrorists, their financiers, supports, protectors and facilitators”.

The Spokesman said the Punjab Government stands out prominently for taking effective measures including bringing in new laws to curb militancy and sectarianism. The Spokesman also mentioned the restructuring of the Provincial Counter Terrorism Department, deployment of Elite Force as Quick Response Force, creation of a dedicated Counter-Terrorism Force, establishment of a state-of-the-art Forensic Lab and launching of Safe City Project in major metropolitan centers are manifest examples of Punjab Government’s resolve to fight terrorism and crime.

Five new laws have been promulgated by the Punjab Government, these include a ban on wall-chalking, law to ban public display of arms, a law to end the misuse of loudspeaker, a law to ensure security of vulnerable premises and a law to ensure registration of temporary residents throughout Punjab.

The Spokesman also referred to the recent effort by the government of Punjab in introducing subjects and readings for inculcating tolerance and peace throughout the schools and colleges of the province.