KARACHI, May 11: Speakers here at a seminar on Saturday called for urgent and meaningful modifications in the intelligence network simultaneously in law-enforcing and judicial systems to combat terrorism and targeted killings in the country, including Karachi.

At the seminar, “Targeted killings of professionals - in search of solutions,” held under the aegis of The Doctors Association of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee, they also called upon people to shun their tendency of being silent spectators and join in the efforts to combat the menace of terrorism.

Sindh Minister of Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh presided over the seminar in the auditorium of the National Institute of Child Health.

Speakers included former Sindh chief secretary Kunwar Idrees, IG Police Syed Kamal Shah, a former DG of the Military Intelligence, Lt-Gen Ali Kuli Khan, former deputy attorney-general, Qadir Sayeed, former judge of the Sindh High Court, Justice Shaiq Usmani, and CPLC chief Jameel Yusuf. Dr Rashid Juma presented the vote of thanks, and Dr Tariq Rafi of the JPMC Doctors Association conducted the seminar.

Mr Shaikh assured that he would do his best to implement all good suggestions and hoped that others would pick up the suggestion to improve performance. He said people should resolve to eliminate the menace of terrorism and targeted killings.

He said the speakers, who were former chief secretary, chief of the Military Intelligence and former judges, had pointed out the lack of coordination and weaknesses in their respective institutions when they were in power, and asked why they did not remove the shortcomings. They probably attempted to make changes but found it difficult as individuals’ capability was not enough, but required mass involvement for positive result.

He conceded that in spite of the best efforts of the government, the people rightly felt that there was something amiss. He said terrorism could not be combated only by the law-enforcement agencies and the judiciary, people would have to come forward to fight the menace.

Home Secretary Brig Mukhtar Ahmad recalled the ground realities and frustration being faced by law-enforcement agencies in meeting the challenges of terrorism and lawlessness.

He referred to the Hakim Said murder case. He said the trial court awarded death sentences to the accused, but the High Court acquitted them, and now the case was being pursued in the Supreme Court.

He said our intelligence agencies and LEA had not acquired expertise besides they also lacked equipment and forensic laboratories. In spite of all this, the LEAs were doing a good job.

“Doctors are our assets. Their leaving the country is not the solution to targeted killings. You stay here with us, we are trying to pursue the cases.”

Former chief justice of Pakistan Sajjad Ali Shah, who was present on the occasion, in his brief remarks about the causes of terrorism, said: “There is no rule of law. Police, instead of providing protection to people, are seen found guarding police chiefs.”

Justice Ghous Mohammad said judges’ tenure should be ensured and accountability be transparent. He also referred to abuse of laws by police and said “our superior judiciary is in love with the doctrine of necessity.”

CPLC chief Jamil Yusuf, with the help of slides, highlighted details of incidents of terrorism in various years, and said to improve police’s performance promotion be linked to conviction in cases. He also suggested establishment of criminal accountability on the national and provincial levels.

Justice Shaiq Usmani stressed the importance of the rule of law, deploring at present there was no rule of law in the country. “Anyone can do whatever he likes if he belongs to the privileged class, is well-connected or have enough money.”

Calling for improving the working of the police force, he said in Britain and other European countries if any person even in torn clothes approached police, first they salute him and ask with all humility “Sir, what I can do for you.”

Referring to the performance of the judiciary, he said the judiciary was also responsible for the present state of affairs. He said if a country had a good judiciary, there the rate of crime would below, but unfortunately the reverse was true for Pakistan. The quality of justice would improve if the process of selection for the judiciary was done on the basis of honesty.

Calling for changing the entire system of judiciary, he said court judgments should be written in the languages of the country. Judge should be ensured of security of tenure, because without this they could not deliver.

Justice Usmani also referred to his experience on the bench, and said in 80 per cent cases the judges had no option but to allow the appeal due to flaw in evidences.

He stressed the need for intrinsic changes in the system and to the procedure of selection of judges. The rule should be adhered to that, a person is innocent until he is proven guilty.

Former deputy attorney-general Qadir Sayeed said acts of terrorism were being committed to destabilize Pakistan and killing of doctors and other professionals was compelling skilled people to leave the country.

He called for regenerating the political system and reconstruction of the social system.

Referring to the importance the authorities gave to the killing of Daniel Pearl, he deplored that this kind of importance had not been given to the killings of doctors and other skilled people of the country though they were so important to the country.

He stressed the need for metropolitan police for they could make a big difference vis-a-vis the crime situation.

He suggested that all income taxpayers be allowed to keep a licensed firearm, and said monitoring bodies, consisting of notables, be set up to check corruption in the LEAs and other ancillary organizations.

Ali Kuli Khan said close coordination among different agencies could make the difference.

Calling for redefining the role of agencies to check overlapping, he pointed out that 125 private security agencies had been operating in Karachi with 30,000-35,000 personnel, and said they could be involved in the fight against terrorism.

The IG traced the history of upsurge in crime since 1983, and said during the past two years some 64 doctors had been killed.

KUNWAR IDREES SAID: “The war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda will be fought in tribal areas of Pakistan, not in Afghanistan, America or Europe.”