Do more, Punjab!

Apex Committee must implement its recent decisions with a stern resolve

‘Do more’ is a much despised term in our lexicon, courtesy the daily US harping on it to pressurise Pakistan into undertaking one sided actions which it perceived as essential for success in the war on terror. But this is exactly what needs to be done in Punjab, whose southern areas have become a breeding ground of terrorism, extremism and sectarianism, a force multiplier for domestic and allegedly foreign militancy. The Punjab Apex committee meeting on Thursday chaired by the Chief Minister and attended by senior military and civilian officials made certain decisions to rid the country of this trio of evils. These matters of immense national importance need strict implementation in a proactive manner. The present trend of reacting only after a horrific incident of terror needs replacement by a concerted policy of intelligence-based prevention and preemption. And zero-tolerance is the name of the game.

The apex committee made all the right noises. It reiterated some of the basic points set out in the National Action Plan (NAP) for the elimination of radicalism in all its forms, going after the financial backers and facilitators of terrorism, checking the printing and distribution of hate literature and provocative speeches, punishing the collaborators in the social media, and a sharper vigilance at the province’s entry and exit points. Of course it sounds very easy on paper, but the ground realities present a more intricate and formidable picture.

For one, the Punjab, unlike Sindh, lags behind in regulating mushroomed seminaries and weeding out those promoting militancy, proscribed organizations reappear under a new label and garb, Rangers are given full rein in KP and Sindh but stubbornly kept out here, the existing police force is woefully ill-equipped to tackle militancy, successful prosecution of netted terrorists is low, while opportunistic politicians from mainstream parties deliberately make a ‘devils’ alliance’ with known extremists for votes at election time. It is clear that following NAP in letter and spirit, and especially in its implementation, offers the brightest chance of success against inhuman excess.