LAHORE: The counter-terrorism departments of Punjab and Balochistan decided to exchange the ‘classified details and intelligence’ of various outlawed terrorist groups and networks active in Punjab at a marathon meeting here on Monday.
Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan of Balochistan, accompanied by Provincial Police Inspector General Rai Tahir, visited the headquarters of the Punjab CTD here on Monday and met with its head, DIG Jawwad Qamar, and other senior police officers.
During the meeting, both sides also decided to give the Balochistan CTD officers training to make the province a safer place for its citizens as the department had broken down numerous terrorist networks in Punjab, where some years earlier militancy was rampant.
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CTD DIG Jawwad Qamar shared the ‘success storey’ of the department in Punjab, especially under Mr Rai, with the visiting delegation, an official privy to the development told Dawn.
Mr. Kamal said that Punjab was almost cleared of local militant outfits.
In the last four years, there has been no incident of sectarian terrorism in Punjab,” he said, adding that no suicide bombings were reported in 2020 and it was a landmark after 13 years of wave of militancy in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab.
“Compared to the figures for 2014, Punjab reported a 14-fold decrease in terrorism incidents in 2020,” Mr Jawaad told the conference.
He said in the last five years, the Punjab CTD had so far detained 2,000 hardened terrorists and 65 percent of them were convicted by the anti-terrorist courts (ATCs).
He also told the CM of Balochistan that hate speech was a primary cause of sectarian violence and a major challenge for the CTD of Punjab.
By blocking 4,000 social media sites and pages via the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, we curbed hate speech,” Mr Qamar told the meeting.”
He also briefed the chief minister of Balochistan on the Punjab CTD’s organisation and functions.
The official said the CM praised Punjab’s successes in managing militancy and sectarianism and agreed to reinforce the CTD on the same lines in Balochistan.
In the meantime, IGP CM and Balochistan have visited the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal, the national poet, where Mr. Kamal lauded his poetry and vision.
“Iqbal’s vision can now lead us to progress and prosperity, and the need for time to fulfil the great poet’s dream is hard work and dedication,” he said.
The gusts also visited Qurban Lines headquarters of the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA), where they were briefed by Managing Director Rao Sardar Ali Khan and Chief Operating Officer Muhammad Kamran Khan on the different parts of the authority. Also joining them was the Quetta Safe City project unit.
The PSCA chief executive officer briefed them on the media centre of the authority, PUCAR 15, emergency 15 centre, as well as on the provision of electronic data proof and video to separate law enforcement authorities and the investigative wing of the police.
The technology and practises in place, in particular the intelligent traffic management system and electronic challans, were appreciated by Mr Kamal.
“We are keen to sign a Technical Assistance MoU with the PSCA to launch the same project in Quetta,” he said.
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Rao Sardar promised all necessary assistance from the PSCA for the Quetta Safe City Project on that day.
IGP Rai Tahir also briefed the Chief Minister of Balochistan on the success of the Quetta Safe City scheme, mentioning that by the end of the year it would be operational.
In the guest book about his visit to the PSCA, Jam Kamal later reported his remarks, which ended with the presentation of souvenir shields to the Chief Minister of Balochistan.
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