The Interior Ministry on Friday presented a list of banned organisations before the Senate of Pakistan. State Minister for Interior, Balighur Rehman informed the Senate that banned organisations are watched to prevent them from resurfacing under different names.
In the written reply, the Interior Ministry told the Senate that in the current year 1,113 incidents of terrorism took place in the country while 637 terrorists were killed and 710 were arrested.
The list of banned organisations includes Balochistan Republican Army, Lashkar-e-Balochistan and Daesh among 61 such organisations.
The ministry informed the Senate that Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) is not included in the list as it is under observation. However, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-e-Muhammed Pakistan, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan are part of the list of banned organisations.
Tehreek-e-Jafria Pakistan, Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammad, Tehreek-e-Islami are also included in the list of 61 banned organisations.
The minister of state told the Senate that the Interior Ministry monitors the organisations o prevent them from resurfacing under different names. He added the provinces are also instructed not to allow banned organisations from resurfacing and that the list is regularly updated.
The minister also informed the Senate that a ban is in place since 2013 on issuing arms licences however banning weapons in the country is not under consideration.
The Senate was also told that a number of steps have been taken by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan Frontier Corps to check the infiltration of terrorists from Afghanistan into Pakistan.
Rehman told the House during question hour that patrolling along Pak-Afghan border is carried out. He said intelligence based operations against suspected miscreants are conducted. He pointed out that construction of 453 kilometres of obstacles like anti-smuggling ditch to stop human and vehicle movement has been carried out.
He said that communication posts have been created on important communication links to check illegal immigrants and miscreants. These steps also include installation of search lights at important crossing sites and deployment of ground surveillance radars at important locations to detect human movement. He said integrated transit trade management system is being installed to check smuggling.
To a question, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique told the House that a well-organised system of accountability is in place in Pakistan Railways through an independent cell called the Vigilance Cell to identify and curb the corrupt elements and practices. He said the cell is working directly under the control of Ministry of Railway and is mandated to identify and investigate any corrupt elements or practices in the organisation. He said that a total of 199 employees were taken up under the Efficiency and Disciplinary rules, out of which 146 cases were decided and punishments awarded while 53 enquiries are in process.
Regarding the security of the railway track, the minister said that provincial governments and law enforcement agencies thoroughly check the track in vulnerable areas to make it more secure. He said that the new track will be laid down to Landi Kotal under phase-I of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Responding to a question, Minister for States and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch told the House that withdrawal of arms licenses in the prevailing circumstances will wreak havoc in the country. He said law breakers, terrorists and criminals do not have any license to keep arms and it is difficult to collect arms from them.
