Nisar questions security agencies’ performance

• Interior minister along with two federal ministers attends ceremony at Wah Cantt despite threats

Minister for Interior Affairs Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Monday said that if security is not adequate in a high-security area like Wah Cantonment, then it could raise a question mark on the performance of intelligence and security agencies.

An intelligence report expressed fears of a terrorist attack in the Wah Cantonment, citing that terrorists could carry out an attack at the Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) Complex during a Labour Day ceremony.

Despite the security fears, the interior minister along with Federal Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanvir Hussain and Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Barjees Tahir attended the ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, Nisar said that if the lives of labourers were not safe, then even he does not care for his own life.

“If even the life of a Wah factory labourer is not safe then may Almighty Allah protect us all,” he said. “I was told not to visit this site due to security threat. Those who are spreading these rumours are insane,” he told the gathering. He also said that the prestige of the Ordinance Factory was only due to its labourers.

On the occasion, he announced Rs 1.2 billion financial package for the welfare of the POF employees. He said that the government always remained in forefront and would do the same in future to address their problems. The package, formally approved by the prime minister, includes 25 per cent raise in the salaries and two annual increments, which will be applicable from May 1 this year.

Nisar announced that the POF employees would get enhanced salaries from June 1 this year. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif always had a soft corner for labourers and his government would leave no stone unturned for their welfare and that of their families, he said.

He said that he would ask the prime minister to form a high powered committee to address the problems being faced by the PoF. He said that the previous governments had never paid any heed to the problems of the POF workers. It was the PML-N government, which had always given importance to their betterment and adopted concrete measures to address their problems on priority, he added.

Nisar said that he had strong attachment with the area, particularly with the POF employees, to whom the government would continue to facilitate. It was evident from the fact that development works of more than Rs 15 billion were continuing in the area to ensure betterment in the lives of local people, he added.

Addressing the ceremony, Tanvir Hussain appreciated the efforts of Chaudhry Nisar Ali for getting approval of the financial package for the POF employees. Terming the package historic, he said it showed how the government was giving importance to the issues of the workers and making all-out efforts and utilising resources for their redressal.

He said that the better policies introduced in the POF had increased exports of defence production goods to Rs 100 billion from Rs 25 billion in 2013. Barjees Tahir also lauded the role of the interior minister for the development work in the area and also betterment of the POF workers.

He said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would not only help increase employment opportunities in the country but also ensure raise in the wages of labourers and worker class.