A day after a senior leader of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jammat (ASWJ) was shot dead in Lahore, prompting fears of a delicate truce between sectarian groups deteriorating, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday said that sectarian violence was a matter of concern for the government.
The interior minister was chairing a high level meeting in the federal capital, as police officials tried to negotiate with ASWJ supporters who were protesting in various parts of the country on Saturday.
Reviewing the overall law and order situation in the country, Nisar said rise in incidents of sectarian violence is a matter of concern for the government.
He gave directions for increased coordination among law enforcement agencies to mitigate such incidents and asked for greater coordination with provincial governments in matters related to law and order.
Nisar said that while all acts of violence should be dealt with an iron hand‚ all segments of religious opinion should be taken on board in a proactive and positive manner for effective action.
The minister was briefed about the current law and order situation on the occasion of local bodies elections in Balochistan‚ Karachi situation as well as incidents of protest in some parts of the country.