Quetta - Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan has said that developing a national security policy will take some time as mistakes made in 13 years “can’t be rectified in one day”.
Nisar arrived in Quetta on Sunday following the deadly attack on the eve of Eid that left 30 dead, including top brass of the provincial police. He held meetings with Balochistan chief minister and security administration officials to review the security arrangements and bridge the bigger loopholes.
Addressing a press conference alongside Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Malik Baloch, he said the morale of the police, security agencies and civil armed forces was high despite repeated terror attacks on them and they “will continue to fight this war being in the frontlines.”
He expressed his deep regret over the death of the police officers and said, “DIG Fayaz Sumbal was brave of the bravest officers who lost his life among other officers. “We announce gallantry award for all police officials who have lost their lives.” He said the Army Chief has offered help in training and equipping Balochistan police.
The minister said that during his meeting with provincial civilian authorities and high-ups of the security agencies, he has been looking into the cause resulting in security lapses. He said that culprits of the attack on the bus of Women University were all arrested.
Asserting that the ongoing “war” was not of Balochistan alone but of the whole country, he said, “We have to set Balochistan on the track of development and it is the war of Pakistan’s integrity... It has been 13 years since we plunged into a war which was not ours. This was imposed on us.”
Nisar said they were developing a national security policy but mere formulation of such a policy would not curb terrorism. Those who had been criticising government for delay in security policy were naïve as it was not an easy task. It is a war against an unseen enemy who is different in its outlook and tactics in different parts of the country, Nisar said.
Had it been a simple matter he would have announced such a policy in a day, the minister remarked. He said, “Even America took a year in formulating their security policy after the events of 9/11... Implementation is difficult as there is no coordination between various law enforcing agencies... Let’s do our homework first.” Nisar said the federal government was studying the security policies of various countries and was trying to adapt them according to their own needs.
The interior minister said that 15,000 security personnel will be provided to the province. He said while he was leaving for Quetta, Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kyani called him and told that they wanted to play their part in Balochistan security and in this regard they would provide 5,000 SMGs to Balochistan Police and train them on an emergency bases.
“We also have offered the provincial government capacity building and training,” he said, adding that coordinated efforts among all intelligence and security agencies, including ISI, MI, FC and Police, would be made to prevent attacks in future. He said he has also directed the security agencies to take care of the ‘self-esteem’ of the citizens during their operations, as he urged the media and political and civil figures to play their role for curbing terrorism.
When asked if the attack on the IG police was a security lapse and if anybody was held responsible, he said that he even talked of greater accountability previously in the parliament and investigation of this incident too was underway. When asked if this war was now our own, he said that what else it could be called now when our streets, roads, and cities were not safe.