Activities of 60 proscribed organisation to be monitored; 32 arrests made for financing terrorists and Rs 70 million recovered
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said that the government has forwarded 20 cases of terrorists to the General Headquarters for hearing in military courts. Of these, hearing of 12 cases will soon start.
Briefing the National Assembly in Islamabad Wednesday about progress made so far on Anti-terrorism National Action Plan, the Interior Minister said the cases have been sent to the military courts after complete scrutiny of the apex committees and the Ministry of Interior. He made it clear that the cases of those, who took up arms against the country or committed genocide of innocent people including women and children, are being transferred to the military courts. He said the military courts were established in accordance with the constitution to deal with the war like situation. He said that the accused whose cases have been sent to these courts will have the right of legal counsel.
Nisar said that 22 terrorists have been hanged to death since the lifting of moratorium on death sentence and cases of another 17 are under process. He clarified that only those elements are being hanged who took up arms against the state.
Ch. Nisar Ali Khan said that Pakistan has proscribed 60 outfits and a special cell is being established to monitor the activities of these organizations. He said we have not proscribed any organization on the dictation of anybody but we have to take action against those who are also in the list of United Nations. He assured that law will take its course against all the proscribed outfits.
The Interior Minister said that steps have also been taken to check financing of terrorists. A Special Cell in a short span of time has managed to identify 26 cases of terrorism financing. 32 arrests have been made and an amount of 70 million rupees has been recovered.
Nisar said that action has also been taken against those involved in propagation of hate material. 3265 cases have been registered and 2065 people have been arrested for their involvement in propagating hate speeches.
He told the House that sixteen thousand combing operations have been carried out in unregistered abadies across the country. Twelve thousand people were arrested during these operations. 140 of them have direct links with the terrorism.
Ch. Nisar Ali Khan said that five hundred intelligence based operations have been carried out across the country which helped foil several horrific incidents of terrorism.
About the verifications of SIMs, Ch. Nisar Ali Khan told the House that thirty million SIMs have been verified in a month time while the remaining seventy million SIMs will be verified before 9th of April.
Ch. Nisar Ali Khan said that military operation is progressing successfully against the terrorists and security situation has improved a great deal as compared to preceding years. He, however, said that elimination of top leadership of terrorists is imperative for revival of complete peace to the country. He said that most of these leaders have run away to the border area or are present across the border. He said we should continue to demonstrate complete unity and harmony for the elimination of all terrorists. He said the media has demonstrated patriotism by not giving coverage to the terrorists in the last few months.
INP/AH