Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar announced on Saturday the government has decided to take disciplinary action against senior officials responsible to provide security to Chinese workers after five of them were killed in a deadly militant attack last month in the northwest of the country.
“We will not let anyone disrupt the peace [in the country],” Tarar said while addressing a news conference at the PML-N’s Secretariat here.
“Our armed forces and law enforcement agencies are committed to eradicating terrorism and are playing their role with full intent and dedication to uproot this scourge from its roots.”
The inquiry committee sent its report in which the prime minister ordered disciplinary action against some officers, saying they had been negligent in their duties and should have been more vigilant, he continued.
The information minister said these officials included the regional police officer Hazara division, district police officers in upper and lower Kohistan district, director security at Dasu hydropower project and commandant special security unit in KP.
Tarar informed that disciplinary action would be taken against them within the next 15 days. “This is an example that future matters related to Chinese security will be taken more seriously, and no shortcomings will be tolerated,” he said.
He also pointed out the prime minister was taking personal interest in the security of Chinese workers in Pakistan, and the government was trying to devise a comprehensive and effective mechanism to protect them against such attacks.
He said it was very unfortunate that anti-state elements which could not digest the country’s progress were stuck to their negative agenda.
Attaullah Tarar said that the Prime Minister had presided over many meetings on Chinese security and a committee was formed for an inquiry into the Dasu incident as Chinese.
The information minister said that the quick action was a proof that no compromise would be tolerated on the security of the Chinese in future.
He said, “We pay homage to all those who sacrificed their lives in war against terrorism.”
The Information Minister said that the incumbent government was taking all possible measures to strengthen the national economy and the economy and the industry both were showing positive signs.
The stability of the rupee helped stabilize the country’s economy and positive news were coming with regard to the stock exchange as well,” he maintained. He said all these positive indicators were showing that business confidence had increased in the country.
Attaullah Tarar said that today the Foreign Office had also issued a statement in which not only rejected the statement of the Indian defence minister but condemned it.
He said that the international community should also take notice of the extrajudicial killings.
He said, “Pakistan is fully alert and capable of defending itself but we want peace in the region.” He said yesterday he had visited Karachi and met journalist organizations including PBA, APNS, CPNE and problems facing the media industry were also discussed. Problems of journalists and media workers had been highlighted and pending dues of media workers and reporters would be paid prior to Eid-ul-Fitr, he added.
He said an all-out effort would be made to ensure payment of pending dues in the next two days as per the direction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, adding that all approvals in this regard had been completed.
