External hands, defunct religious groups behind cannot be ruled out in
terror activities: Maqbool
By Khalid Amin

RAWALPINDI—Governor Punjab Lt. General ® Khalid Maqbool said here on Friday that besides the external hand, the defunct religious organizations could be involved in the terrorism related activities throughout the country. He expressed these views while addressing a press conference at the Regional Police Office (RPO) Headquarters here. Governor Punjab said that Punjab police have been equipped with latest weapons to counter terrorism.
Regional Police Officer (RPO) DIG Nasir Khan Durrani, City Police Officer (CPO) DIG Saud Aziz, S.S.P Yasin Farooq, S.P Rawal Town Khurram Shahzad, S.P Rana Shahid and other police officials were also present on the occasion.
Khalid Maqbool also presided over a high level meeting of the regional heads of the law enforcing agencies and institution to review the overall law and order & security arrangements in the area.
Khalid Maqbool said the net of investigations has been widened to unearth these outlawed enemies of humanity and terrorists, involved in heinous crimes against humanity and innocent people saying crackdown against some of these suspicious obsolete organizations has been initiated to bring them under the ambit of law.
He said that involvement of that some banned organizations including Sapa Sahba, Laskar Tayba and Jash Muhammad were involved in terrorism.
He was of the opinion that prevailing terrorism in the country was not due to any particular person or because of specific policy.
He said law enforcing agencies including police force will jointly stymie the nefarious designs of the anti social and anti human elements.
Khalid Maqbool said that Islam is the religion of peace and tranquility, and rejects terrorism and extremism in all the forms and manifestation.
He said in fact terrorists are the enemy of Islam and country saying that they want to destabilize the integrity of the country for their mischievous designs.
Khalid said that the government is making all out efforts to eradicate the terrorism adding that the law enforcement agencies and police were being more equipped to counter terrorism.
He appreciated the Punjab police for doing great job to counter terrorism menace.
He was of the view that law enforcement agencies, police, media and with the cooperation of masses the terrorism could be controlled, he added.
He urged the commercial organization to install close circuit cameras and keep vigilant eyes on the terrorists’ activities. He said that on the special instructions of the President Musharraf the Punjab government is making untiring efforts for the eradication of the terrorism in the country.
He said that the government has succeeded to achieve the targets bring to terrorists to justice, involved in the killing of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in a suicide attack on 27th December last year.
Commenting on the politics and recent general elections in the country, Governor said, the election process has been completed in transparent and peaceful manners according to the satisfaction of the people.
Responding to a question, he said that after the session of National Assembly on March 17th the sessions of Provincial Assembly session would be called soon.