Courtesy PID
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday stressed that ensuring law and order and a peaceful atmosphere in the country is a prerequisite to restoring the national economy.
Presiding over a meeting to review the law and order situation in the country, he directed law enforcement agencies to improve their performance, adding that this was essential to changing the public’s perception over their role. Emphasizing that there would be no compromises on Pakistan’s security and defense, he said the entire country was united in standing with the armed forces and law-enforcement agencies in their fight against terrorism.
The prime minister also expressed concern over rising incidents of street crimes in Punjab province, and directed the provincial chief minister, his son Hamza Shehbaz, to take immediate measures for the protection of people’s lives and properties.
During the meeting, Sharif lamented that the previous PTI-led government had “ignored” the role of the provinces in implementation the National Action Plan—a 20-point document devised to combat terrorism after the 2014 terror assault on Peshawar’s Army Public School—and vowed to restore this to counter terrorist activities. “Ignoring the role of provinces in the National Action Plan over the last four years has increased terrorism in the country,” he said.
According to local media, the past four years have seen a slide in the provincial requirements of reforms in the judiciary, police and madrassas, including bans on hate speech and specialized training for law enforcement personnel.
The meeting also reviewed the implementation of steps needed to eliminate the sources of terror financing and relevant laws, with a focus on the fulfillment of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)’s action plan to ensure the country was removed from the Paris-based watchdog’s grey-list. This is seen as key to attract investment into the country and boost exports to Western nations.
The meeting was attended by several senior officials, including Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari.