The Taliban-linked militant group ‘Ghazi Force’, which was raised after Lal Masjid operation and responsible for almost all acts of subversion in the federal capital, is still working in Islamabad but it is no more united and deadly, said the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Wajid Ali Khan Durrani on Sunday. “According to intelligence reports, some members of Ghazi Force are still present in the capital and they may be working individually but the police is keeping a close eye on their activities”, Durrani said during an exclusive interview with Pakistan Today, adding that police were closely monitoring movements of members of Ghazi force in order to take timely action against them if they tried to create some mess.
The Ghazi Force is named after Ghazi Abdul Rasheed, the brother of former chief of Lal Mosque Maulana Abdullah Aziz. Ghazi was killed during the Lal Mosque operation in July 2007. Durrani said there were around 350 seminaries in different sectors of Islamabad. “So far there is no seminary in the capital where any suspected activity is happening and strict action would be taken if any suspected activity is observed in any seminary”, the IGP said. He said the Islamabad Police had arrested several terrorists in the last few years and a devised a comprehensive plan to avert further terrorist attacks.
When asked whether there was any fresh threat of terrorist attacks, he replied in negative. Durrani denied that defamed US security firm, Blackwater was operating in the federal capital and said the police had taken strict action against the foreigners found involved in any suspected activity. When asked whether any foreign trainers were providing training to Islamabad Police, he said some American and French persons had been involved in the process. The IGP said the Islamabad Police had been provided only four explosive detectors out of a requirement of 40 to 50.
“We have sent request to the government for timely provision of more detectors.” He said the total strength of Diplomatic Protection Department (DPD) or security division was 4,500 while the strength of Operations Department stood at around 2500, which guarded 1.5 million population of the capital. When asked why the capital police have drawn a clear difference between the VIPs and ordinary citizens’ security, he said no compromise could be made over the security of VIPs.
However, he said they had sent request to government to allow them to make further recruitment in order to increase the strength of Operation Department. The IGP said the investigators had obtained major clues regarding the killing of former federal minister Shahbaz Bhatti. “Every possible effort is being made to trace out the culprits and success would be achieved soon,” he said. He said they had made a comprehensive plan to control rising car lifting in the city. “We have established special police pickets at the entry and exit points as well as inside the city to curb car jacking”, he said.
The IGP said police had devised a three-point plan that featured raids on the houses of car lifters recorded over the last five years. The plan, he said, envisaged crackdown against active car thieves besides crackdown against car snatchers. The Anti Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) consisted of experienced police officials who had expanded the operation in other areas against car lifters. Durrani said raiding parties were simultaneously conducting raids in KP, FATA, AJK and central Punjab. Durrani said to curb street crimes and activities of anti social elements, 28 inspectors and sub inspector had been appointed as community police officers (CPOs) who would work with local community. Under the new system, community police centres have been established where beat books and visitors books would be maintained.
