ISLAMABAD, March 20: The cabinet on Wednesday approved the draft police ordinance 2002, and decided to offer it for a month-long public debate before its promulgation to replace the Police Act, 1861.

“The public debate and vetting of the proposed document by the law ministry will be held simultaneously so that the law can be promulgated after a month,” Information and Media Development Minister Nisar Memon told a press conference.

The meeting, which was also attended by provincial governors, laid stress on effective coordination among the security agencies of all the provinces as well as the federal government as an immediate step to combat a fresh wave of terrorism.

The proposed police ordinance, which has already been placed on the website of the National Reconstruction Bureau with a view to eliciting public comments, would entail comprehensive restructuring of the police and the security agencies, he said.

Giving details of the measures approved by the cabinet, Mr Memon said that in all the security agencies dedicated units to counter terrorism were being set up.

The delay in adjudication of terrorism cases, he said, was noted by President Pervez Musharraf who laid emphasis on strengthening the judiciary. The minister said that the president had also approved a Rs2 billion allocation for judicial reforms.

The cabinet discussed the law and order situation and characterized reasons for the recent spate of terrorism in the country as national, regional and international.

The minister said there were possibilities of involvement of Al Qaeda members, or local religious fanatics who might have reacted to government’s decision of joining international coalition against terrorism.

He also suspected the involvement of forces inimical to Pakistan. When a reporter referred to a recent statement by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee threatening to pay Pakistan in the same coin, Mr Memon said Indian agencies had a record of involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan.

The minister termed the proposed police ordinance a “momentous document” and brushed aside the criticism that it would turn the country into a police state.

He said the new law had an inbuilt check-and-balance mechanism and was based on the edifice of service structure.

In reply to a question about the cost likely to be incurred on the restructuring of police, he said there was enough international support for improving security apparatus in the country. He quoted President Pervez Musharraf as having stated at the meeting “let the funding and money be no inhibition in implementing resolution of the government to restore law and order.”

The government, he elaborated, had been seeking support from Japan and the United States for acquiring latest forensic laboratories, equipment and training of security personnel.

The president, the minister said, had asked the governors to ensure effective coordination amongst all the law enforcement agencies to achieve desired results.

The president assured the provincial governments that the concerned federal agencies would extend every support and cooperation to them, the minister added.

The minister said that Gen Musharraf had called upon the governors to involve themselves in the law and order management as these were “extraordinary times” for the country.

The governors were told to present weekly reports on the law and order as well as progress of terrorism-related cases directly to the president, Mr Memon said.

The president briefed the cabinet about his visit to Japan, which he described as quite productive and useful.

A proposal for development of national parks in Chitral, Machiana (AJK) and Hingol, Balochistan, was approved in principle by the cabinet.