LAHORE: Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa chaired a high-level meeting today, reviewing planned strategy against extremists and their collaborators in a bid to intensify anti-terror operation across the country , ARY News reported.
The meeting also reviewed security arrangements for Pakistan Super League to be played on March 5 in Lahore.
Sources informed that the military officials meeting also resolved to foil plots hatched by ‘enemy’ to disrupt the PSL final in Lahore. According to DG ISPR Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, details of the meeting will soon be divulged to the press.
COAS chaired security meeting at Lhr. All Corps Comds Pb Province, DG PR Pb & int heads attended. Imp decisions taken. Being shared shortly. pic.twitter.com/r3h6N3zAPf
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 22, 2017
He also hinted that important decisions were taken during the meeting. Corps Commander Punjab and DG Rangers Punjab among other senior officials were also in attendance.
Special powers granted to Rangers
Meanwhile, Interior Ministry has approved special powers for Rangers to launch anti-terror operation in Punjab.
Approval was given at a meeting in Islamabad today, which was chaired by Interior Minister Ch. Nisar Ali Khan and attended by National Security Advisor Nasser Khan Janjua, Secretary Interior, Home Secretary Punjab, IG Punjab and senior officials.
Rangers would be deployed for sixty days under Anti-Terrorism Act.
On the occasion, the Interior Minister said the government was determined to eliminate terrorism from the country and would steadfastly pursue the policy of providing every possible assistance to the provinces for the purpose.
Renewed security measures after Shrine bombing
Security forces in the country killed dozens of suspected militants on Friday, a day after Islamic State claimed a suicide bombing that killed more than 80 worshippers at Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine, the biggest in a spate of attacks this week across the country.
The bombing at the famed shrine in Sindh was Pakistan’s deadliest attack for two years, killing at least 83 people and highlighting the threat of militant groups such as the Pakistani Taliban and Islamic State.
“Over 100 terrorists have been killed since last night and sizeable apprehensions also made,” the military said in an operations update last week.
“Terrorists will be targeted ruthlessly, indiscriminately, anywhere and everywhere. No let up,” DG ISPR added in a tweet.
With authorities facing angry criticism for failing to tighten security before the shrine bomber struck, analysts warned that the wave of violence pointed to a major escalation in Islamist militants’ attempts to destabilize the region.
Pakistan forces also pounded militant hideouts along the Pak-Afghan border, killing several ‘terrorists’.
With pressure growing for action, Pakistan also demanded that neighboring Afghanistan hand over 76 terrorists sheltering over the border.
