Security arrangements reviewed keeping in view upcoming elections

ISLAMABAD, Jul 10 (APP):Caretaker Minister of Interior, Azam Khan has emphasized the need of an unbiased and across the board
equal treatment against the miscreants, saying “Our action should
be regardless of any party or any pressure group affiliations.”
He was addressing a meeting held here Tuesday to discuss terrorism
preventive measures during upcoming elections – 2018 at
National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) Headquarters, Islamabad.
National Coordinator NACTA, Dr. Suleman Khan welcomed
the Minister and other participants.
Expressing his views on country’s law and order situation,
Azam Khan said, “We should not fall victims of sectarian and religious
controversial issues which actually hinder peace efforts.”
The Minister expressed the hope that vital installations,
high risk infrastructure and terrorism prone areas of the country
would not be compromised while deploying police personals and
other law enforcing forces on election duty.
The main objective of this conference was to review and
coordinate security efforts keeping in view of upcoming elections
and security arrangements.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Suleman Khan said, “Electioneering
is a long process. Political parties and campaigners actively
convince and persuade the masses for getting elected. It is a
public activity involving masses.”
He said despite our security and intelligence based operations
against the terrorists, there are still intelligence reports
about terrorist planning to execute their nefarious terrorist
designs during election campaigns to disturb peace and tranquility
and law and order during election campaign.
Briefing was also given by Election Commission of Pakistan
on security and safety measures.
All provincial home departments presented their preventive
measures planned for upcoming elections-2018.
Senior officers of police and other law enforcing
agencies apprised of the meeting on various security measures.
NACTA in its comprehensive presentation informed about
threat alerts issued to relevant authorities related to possible
terrorist incidents during elections -2018, targeting some of
Political Party leaders, and suggesting prevention of such
terrorist attacks.
“As head of the NACTA an organization established to
coordinate counter terrorism efforts I would say we have received
some very serious reports. Hitherto NACTA has issued 12 threat
alerts based upon source reports concerning election campaigns, some
quite general and others particulars,” Dr. Suleman said.
The meeting was attended by senior officers of all provincial
home departments, senior police officers, Election Commission of
Pakistan and various law enforcing agencies, among them were
Brigadier Naeem (D.G. Monitoring), Election Commission,
Mohsin Butt (I.G.) Balochistan, Waqar Chohan (DIG), Security
Islamabad, Liaquat Niaza (AIG) Islamabad, Fayyaz Dar, (RPO)
Rawalpindi, M. Suleman D.G. (CID), KP Police, Rafiq Muhammad,
KP Home Department, Muhammad Ibrahim Mahesar Additional Secretary,
Sindh Home Department, Nasir Aftab, SSP Operations, CTD Sindh,
Dr. Shoaib Akbar, Special Secretary, Home Department, Punjab, Capt.
(Retd) Zafar Iqbal Awan, AS National Security Division, Prime
Minister’s Office, Islamabad, Asif Rehman, Assistant Deputy
Commissioner, Islamabad, Basharat Ahmed, Deputy Secretary,
FATA Secretariat and senior officers from NACTA, ISI and IB.