Defence minister to head panel to counter terror, crime

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formed a 13-member committee to deal with terrorism and crimes.

The decision comes in the context of violent protests by the PTI and rising trend of terrorism and crime through the highways and railways. According to government sources, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has been appointed as the chairman of the committee. It will examine the capacity of the relevant institutions to prevent terrorism and crime. Interior Minister Senator Mohsin Naqvi and Federal Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan will be its members. Representatives of the DG Military Operations and the DG Military Intelligence will be part of the committee.

Cabinet Secretary, Interior Secretary, Railways Secretary, Communications Secretary and Establishment Division Secretary, The Motorway Police IG and Railways Police IG, have also been included in it. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also approved the ToRs for the committee. It will review the capacity of the Motorway, Railway police including training, skills, SOPs, weapons and human resources to prevent terrorism and crime. It will recommend measures to enhance the capacity and competence of the departments concerned to enable them to swiftly respond to incidents terrorism or crime.