LONDON
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday said rooting out terrorism is a challenge but they will overcome this menace soon.
Talking to BBC, Shahbaz said, “Terrorism is an ailment. It took time to arrive here and it will take time too to depart.”
“Question marks are still there in perspective of security despite our redoubled efforts. This perception is beyond doubt. Punjab is included therein. But it is a challenge and we have accepted it. But the real thing which one has to see that we are committed to eliminate it or defeat it. We will not rest unless we eradicate this disease,” he remarked.
He said that killing of 40,000 Pakistanis in terror-related incidents during the last several years was not an ordinary thing.
“We are fully focused on it. The things will not improve till law and order situation improves. This is our top priority,” he added.
Advisor to Prime Minister on National Security Sartaj Aziz said they were doing what no one had done before to counter terrorism. He asserted, “I am upbeat over reining in terrorism soon.”
“To my view Nawaz government has done work to deal with security-related matters in decisive manner during the last nine months. First, in Karachi and then national security policy has been put in place. NECTA is taking shape and rapid deployment force is in the making. What is being done now to counter terrorism has never been done before,” he said this while talking to BBC.
Former ISI chief Gen (r) Ehsanul Haq said, “The government has taken several positive measures. Reforms in national security institutions will yield good results,” he hoped.
He, however, said, “Saying this that we are starting from zero level is not correct in my opinion. There is need to ascertain facts on this count. The system of coordination among intelligence agencies and counterterrorism was already in place. Certain reforms were introduced in 2002 when we had to face the challenge of terrorism in the aftermath of 9/11 incident. A counterterrorism centre was established.”
He said that earlier a special taskforce was set up under the army and there was a counterterrorism force too.
The former ISI chief said, “When the government talks of such type of force then it should capitalise on the experiments of this force. Dynamics of terrorism has undergone a change after 2007 therefore, dynamics of these institutions should also be changed,” he stressed.