Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari has termed the criticism of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s statement on terrorism unjustified, saying that a clear security concern raised by the Chief Minister was unnecessarily being given a political and provincial colour.
She said the fight against terrorism is a collective responsibility of the entire nation and all provinces, and it is highly unfortunate to view this national challenge through the lens of provincialism or politics.
Azma Bokhari said Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, while addressing an event, had highlighted an important security concern regarding the threat of terrorism. She said the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and other law-enforcement agencies in Punjab were continuously monitoring terrorist elements, proscribed organisations and their networks.
She said the Chief Minister had expressed concern in this context that the threat posed by terrorist elements and proxies entering the country through external borders must also be taken seriously.
The minister said Pakistan’s armed forces had repeatedly demonstrated their capability to defend the country, including during the recent Marka-e-Haq. Pakistan had no reason to fear any country; however, elements unable to confront Pakistan directly were attempting to create instability through proxies, and this threat could not be ignored.
Azma Bokhari said terrorism was not an issue confined to any single province but a challenge facing the entire country. Whether in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Punjab or Sindh, an effective strategy and coordinated action were essential to eliminate terrorism and ensure peace.
She said Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz wanted peace to prevail in all provinces, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and believed that terrorist sleeper cells and networks should be dismantled there in the same way as they had been eliminated in Punjab.
The minister said the Punjab government had equipped its institutions with modern technology, improved surveillance mechanisms and effective resources to improve the law-and-order situation. The coordinated operation in the Katcha areas was a prominent example of this strategy, where organised action against criminal elements exploiting inter-provincial boundaries had brought significant improvement.
She said the Punjab government’s effective strategy had resulted in a decline of more than 70 percent in crimes against property. Measures to enhance police capacity, provide modern equipment and technology, and strengthen surveillance were aimed at providing a safer environment to the people. Azma Bokhari said it was unacceptable for any provincial government to abandon its responsibility for maintaining law and order and leave it entirely to federal institutions or the Pakistan Army.
