Director National Security Britain Jonathan Allen meets Shahbaz Sharif

Lahore: Director National Security, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Britain, Jonathan Allen met Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, here today. Matters regarding promotion of cooperation between Pakistan and Britain in anti-terrorism, reformation of police system and training of police were discussed in the meeting.

Director Britain’s National Security Jonathan Allen commended the measures taken under National Action Plan for elimination of terrorism and said that Punjab government has taken effective measures in this regard and is moving in the right direction.

He also appreciated the way Punjab government led by Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif is using information technology in different sectors including education, health and law & order. He said that Punjab government has taken exemplary measures for the promotion of information technology and the steps it has taken in different sectors especially education, health and law & order through information technology are extraordinary as compared to other developing countries.

The British Director on National Security also congratulated Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the report of transparency international regarding decrease in corruption and transparent policies of the government and said that according to report of Transparency International, the government has displayed good performance with regard to controlling corruption over which Pakistani leadership deserves credit. He said that Pakistan is moving in the right direction with regard to implementation of national action plan and the Pakistani leadership has taken commendable steps for elimination of terrorism and controlling corruption.

Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif while speaking on the occasion welcomed the cooperation of British Government in safe cities project. He said that national action plan is being effectively implemented in Punjab and not only necessary amendments have been made in the laws for making sentences more stringent but a special counter terrorism force has also been set up which has shown exemplary performance within a short period. He said that the government is determined to implement national action plan against terrorism speedily and its scope will be expanded.

The Chief Minister said that there is no room for terrorists and extremists in Pakistan and the establishment of a society based on peace and tolerance is the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He said that transparency of the present government has also been acknowledged by Transparency International in its report in which Pakistan’s position has reached the best position in the history at the international index of corruption which authenticates the transparent policies of the government.

British Deputy High Commissioner Patrick Moody, DFID representative Ben French, Inspector General Police Punjab, Secretary Home, Secretary Prosecution and concerned officers were present on the occasion.