ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal remarked on Tuesday that the nation must work together to eliminate hate narrative from Pakistan.
“We must follow Quaid-e-Azam’s vision, who wanted people of all religions to reside peacefully in the country,” he said. “We have to learn to live in harmony.”
While addressing the inauguration ceremony of a police facilitation centre, Iqbal remarked, “Our churches are being attacked, our Imambargahs are being attacked, our mosques are being attacked, our temples are being attacked.”
The interior minister reaffirmed the idea that only peace and stability can ensure Pakistan’s progress.
“We must work together to bring Pakistan on the path of progress. Poverty must be eliminated on an immediate basis and we have to become a strong economy”, the minister stated.
Ahsan remarked that there are certain people who are hampering country’s progress by spreading the narrative of hate and staging protests. “I just want to tell these people to wait for another six months. After elections, you will get your turn. Stop hampering country’s progress by staging protests,” he added.
‘POLICE NEED TO BE PUT ON MODERN LINES TO FACILITATE CITIZENS’
Ahsan Iqbal said in this era of innovations, police needed to adopt technologies to put the force on modern lines and curb crimes.
He said acquiring technologies was an easy task but the main thing was its appropriate usage. “The maximum usage of technology would definitely ensure ease in lives of citizens and further improve the performance of the police,” he said.
He said besides, changing typical Thana culture, it was imperative for the police to prepare a plan of modernisation within next two months, and, in this regard, assistance from National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) could be sought, which had achieved excellence in Information Technology.
Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sultan Azam Taimuri, officers and officials of Islamabad police and families of police martyrs (Shuhda) were present.
The interior minister said the system of policing could not be improved without the participation of the community, and directed the IGP to introduce reforms to make Islamabad police an example for others.
He said training courses of Islamabad police should be arranged with lectures from national and international experts on modern policing so as to improve the professional conduct of the police.
He directed the police department to ensure people-friendly attitude and pursue zero tolerance for all crimes, including murders, robberies, violence, street crimes and crimes against women and children.
He said model police station project in the federal capital should be expedited and be made exemplary for the rest of provinces, with the sole objective to facilitate common people.
At the same time, he said, the idea of community policing should be materialised while benefiting from state-of-the-art technology. The SHOs should form committees to settle small matters at the police station level.
The policemen exhibiting outstanding performance should also be given cash prizes, he said.
The minister said the role of police in society was of prime importance, as no country could progress without improved law and order.
“Peace is very much important for development as is oxygen necessary for human life,” he said, adding the societies having instability and insurgency could not meet the pace of progress.
Ahsan said police were not only doing its own duty but also playing a vital role in the development of the country.
He said it was the police which performed its duty day and night so that citizens could sleep without any fear.
“We are proud of the services and sacrifices of our police,” he added.
Regarding live coverage of any security operation, he requested the media to avoid because this practice risk lives of security personnel.
In this regard, he directed, IGP Islamabad to arrange a workshop with media so that a comprehensive strategy could be formed for better coverage.
He further directed the police to perform their duties following zero-tolerance and try their best to support the weakest segment of society.
Moreover, he said police should also focus on their physical fitness and prove themselves as an active and more responsible force.
He said police vehicles should be equipped with modern gadgets so that monitoring system under safe city project could be further strengthened.
Earlier, IGP Islamabad said an action plan was being prepared to improve the performance of police within minimum time.
He assured the minister that during next three months, a performance of police could be witnessed with improvement.
Moreover, Sultan Azam Taimuri said steps were being taken regarding community policing, while 22 police stations of Islamabad were being computerised.
He said two facilitation centres were being established and one of them had been inaugurated. The IGP said in the first phase, five model police stations out of seven had been completed while more model police stations would be launched next year.
He said in all police stations, a system of reporting room was being improved with the sole objective to facilitate the citizens.
