All Possible Steps To Be Taken To Root Out Scourge Of Terrorism: Tarar

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Mar, 2024) Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Wednesday reiterated the commitment of the government that all possible steps would be taken to root out the scourge of terrorism from the soil of the motherland.

Addressing a press conference after a high level meeting on security chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,

he said that Prime Minister expressed the firm resolve to eliminate terrorism and make Pakistan a peaceful state.

Tarar said that all the participants of the meeting were on the same page regarding ensuring security for all.

He said today's high level meeting was attended by Federal Ministers, Chief of Army Staff, Chief Ministers of all four provinces, Chief Secretaries, Inspector Generals of the provinces , Chief Secretaries and IGs of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Attaullah Tarar said that the meeting had the consensus that an integrated strategy should be adopted to wipe out terrorism from this country.

"A message of unity was given to the nation today that all units are on the same page with the Federation",

he informed the media. All were on the same page on the integrity and national interest of Pakistan, he said

adding, "We know how to defend ourselves and our old friends".

He disclosed that regarding the investigation of the incident, there was also a consultation on the establishment of Joint Investigation Team.

The minister said that morale of all participants was high in the meeting and they had a unity of thought on tackling the issue. He recalled that in 2018, the Pakistan Muslim League-N had left a peaceful Pakistan free from terrorism.

He said yesterday's sad incident in Bisham resulted in loss of six precious lives including Chinese citizens.

He said that China was a time tested friend of Pakistan that has always stood by Islamabad at all difficult times and at international forums. He said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was the guarantor of economic development in the country. The minister said after the launch of the CPEC about 64 billion Dollar investment was done in Pakistan and its GDP had increased significantly.

"Millions of new employment opportunities will be created in the country in future due to CPEC", he added.

Tarar said after the tragic incident, the PM set aside all his engagements and visited the Chinese Embassy and expressed his condolences to the Chinese Ambassador.

He said that the Prime Minister not only condemned the incident but also assured about investigation of the incident.

A message, he said was given to the Chinese leadership through the ambassador that effective action will be taken against the terrorists involved in the dastardly act.

The Prime Minister assured the Ambassador of China that the Government of Pakistan will leave no stone unturned to eradicate terrorism and bring to book the culprits involved in killing of Chinese citizens.

Expressing heartfelt condolences to Chinese nation, the minister said, such incidents were an attempt to harm Pakistan-China friendship but Pakistan-China friendship will continue forever.

He said when the PML-N came to power in 2013, incidents of terrorism were a routine matter but when it's tenure ended in 2018, Pakistan had become terrorism free area.

Attaullah Tarar said that Pakistani nation equally shared the grief of the Chinese nation and leadership. He added that all possible steps will be taken for prevention of such incidents in future.

The minister said Pakistan had formulated a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) for the security of Chinese citizens in the country. All the arrangements and steps were being taken to ensure security of all the Chinese working on CPEC and non-CPEC projects in the country. He vowed effective implementation of the SOPs in this regard.

Tarar said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had a special place for China in his heart and the bilateral relations between the two countries flourished during the tenure of PML-N.

He said when the CPEC project was underway, the Chinese President told the prime minister that “it is a gift for him and his elder brother Nawaz Sharif”. Now, the visit of the prime minister to the Embassy was reflection of their decades old relationship. He questioned the role of the Paksitan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder in promoting talks with terrorists and showing sympathy towards them. The minister asked why the apex committee meeting on national security was not convened by Imran Khan during his government’s tenure. The security of Chinese citizens was always top of the agenda of the apex committee, he added. The people fully knew who was responsible for the recurrence of terrorist incidents in the country, he said. He said all the stakeholders were on the same page for curbing terrorism in the country.

He paid tribute to the mothers and families whose children sacrificed their loved ones for the protection of the mother land. The prime minister had already directed to expedite the process of safe city project in Gawadar, he said in response to the query. He said the Punjab Counter Terrorism Department had been operating in exemplary way and there was a need for replicating the system in other provinces as well.

The minister said that government would like to take up the issue of terrorism in the upcoming session of the National Assembly.

APP/mhn-nvd/