It’s time to put anti-terrorism plan into action

• COAS springs in action for Anti-Terrorism National Action Plan’s implementation, reviews all activities to be undertaken by army and intelligence agencies
• Security forces in Islamabad arrest 20 suspects, mostly Afghans, having links with terror outfits and Peshawar attackers, seize maps, pictures of sensitive buildings from their custody
• 14 suspected terrorists arrested in Sialkot, DG Khan, four in Khyber Agency, seven in Gwadar while nine militants killed in Karachi

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif chaired a high level security meeting Thursday and reviewed all activities to be undertaken by the army and intelligence agencies as a part of Anti-Terrorism National Action Plan (ATNAP) and directed all concerned to initiate actions on urgent basis for its speedy and effective implementation.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations statement, the army chief chaired a high level security meeting of army and intelligence agencies’ officials at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Thursday. He reviewed all activities which will be undertaken as part of the national action plan. He directed that it should be effectively and speedily implemented.

After a marathon meeting, the country’s political leadership had on Wednesday approved a comprehensive plan of action against terrorism in a move described by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as a ‘defining moment’ in the fight against terrorism.

The 20-point ATNAP that envisages establishment of special courts for speedy trial of terror suspects and a crackdown on jihadi and sectarian outfits was announced by the prime minister in a televised address to the nation late Wednesday night following a daylong meeting of the heads of all parliamentary parties at the Prime Minister’s House.

While reiterating his unequivocal resolve to eliminate terrorism, the army chief paid tribute to political leadership of the country for their resolve to eradicate the menace of terrorism from the country through reforms and administrative measures.

General Sharif expressed the hope that, in keeping with confidence and trust of the nation, army and political leadership can transform this consensus into practical actions on the ground.

SECURITY AGENCIES WALK THE LEADERSHIP’S TALK:

In the meanwhile, several terrorists were killed and many suspects having links with the perpetrators of the Peshawar school attack were nabbed Thursday as security forces conducted countrywide search operations, a day after the military and political leadership decided the modus operandi to counter terrorism and extremism in the country.

More than 20 people arrested from different parts of Islamabad during a search operation were moved to an undisclosed location on Thursday.

According to a police spokesman, most of them are Afghan nationals. It was also revealed during investigation that they had links with terrorist organisations, the police official added.

“Officials of intelligence agencies are also involved in the investigation,” the official reportedly said.

During the three-day search operation in and around Islamabad about 400 suspects were arrested by the police.

Only a few of them have so far been released while others are still under interrogation.

Sources said that search operation is still continuing in sub-urban areas of Islamabad including Tarlai, Barakahu, Tarnol, Sihala and Talhar village.

Rangers are also taking part in the search operation along with police.

According to reports, the police recovered maps and pictures of sensitive buildings from the custody of the arrested persons.

An official requesting anonymity said that Afghan SIMs were also recovered from them which were used during the Peshawar tragedy. However, these SIMs were not used after the Peshawar attack, the official added.

The official said that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has been asked to provide the record of the SIMs recovered from the suspects.

The detainees would be registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

A report has been sent to the Interior Ministry about investigation so far made from these suspects.

35 ARRESTED IN PESHAWAR:

Moreover, a joint raid by police and the army in Peshawar Thursday led to the arrest of at least 35 men in injured condition from a clandestine hospital.

Acting on a tip-off from security agencies, authorities raided a house in Nothia area of Peshawar and found that it doubled as a hospital.

“These [arrested] people were injured and were receiving treatment at the ‘hospital.’ Majority of them looked like Afghan refugees but we will be able to tell who they are exactly once they are interrogated by our teams,” a security official said, adding that it was possible that the ones apprehended were injured in recent military operations.

RANGERS ERADICATE 7 TERRORISTS IN KARACHI:

In the meanwhile, Rangers kicked off targeted action against criminal elements in Karachi, eliminating seven terrorists within an hour during separate incidents in the wee hours of Wednesday night.

The total number of outlaws killed so far has mounted to nine. The paramilitary troops also recovered weapons from the possession of the criminals.

Springing into action over intelligence reports, the Rangers launched action in Sohrab Goth’s area of Janjal Goth. Finding themselves surrounded by the security forces, terrorists opened fire. In retaliatory firing, four saboteurs were killed and their firearms seized.

Separately, patrolling Rangers personnel spotted some suspected people in Surjani Town and ordered them stand motionless but they opened gunfire at the paratroopers. The Rangers returned the fire, killing three of the suspects on the spot.

A Ranger also sustained injuries. The saboteurs were identified as Anwar, Nasrullah and Shiree Raheem.

Moreover, in an armed encounter with the operatives of drug-trafficking Ashok Group in Chanesar Goth, two gangsters were killed. The deceased have been identified as Nadir Baloch and Wajahat alias Machhi.

ILLEGAL AFGHAN RESIDENTS ARRESTED:

As the countrywide crackdown against terrorists and suspects continued, police nabbed 14 more Afghan nationals for illegally residing in Sialkot and Dera Ghazi (DG) Khan.

According to Sialkot City Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Maqsud Ahmed Lone, the arrested Afghan nationals were residing in Pakistan without any legal documents.

Earlier, police had arrested 48 illegally residing Afghan nationals from Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial, Uggoki, Pasrur and surrounding areas during a crackdown.

In a separate incident, three illegal Afghan immigrants were arrested during a crackdown in DG Khan on Thursday.

As part of an ongoing campaign against suspects in wake of the deteriorating law and order situation, police raided a house in Hospital Bazaar of DG Khan.

During the operation, three Afghan nationals residing in the area without legal documents were nabbed.

Separate cases have been registered against the detainees under the Foreign Act and further investigation is underway.

FC ARRESTS SEVEN SUSPECTS IN BALOCHISTAN:

Moreover, the Frontier Corps (FC) Thursday arrested seven suspected militants from the coastal highway near Balochistan’s port city Gwadar. The men reportedly belong to a banned militant organisation operating in the area.

According to FC spokesman, the forces raided Shadikur area of Gwadar from where they arrested the seven militants besides recovering arms and ammunition from their possession.

The militants were shifted for interrogation by security agencies. The spokesman stated that the arrested militants were involved in acts of kidnapping, targeted killings and attacks on security forces.

The FC’s claim, however, could not be verified by independent sources.

Furthermore, armed men gunned down a tribal elder on Thursday after which security forces arrested an alleged murderer and four others in an operation besides recovering arms from their possession.

Security sources said the miscreants killed tribal elder Badshah Khan in Ghundi area of Tehsil Jamrud in Khyber Agency and escaped the scene.

Following the incident, the security forces launched a search operation in the area. An exchange of fire ensued in which an alleged murder was killed while four others were arrested by the security forces.