07 February 2005	Monday	27 Zilhaj 1425

MULTAN, Feb 6: Dera Ghazi Khan District Nazim Jamal Leghari has said that the situation in his area warrants adoption of extraordinary security measures in the wake of growing incidents of sabotage.

Talking to Dawn, the Nazim said he had informed the provincial government about one and-a-half month ago about the impending threat attacks on state installations in Dera in the backdrop of law and order problem in neighbouring areas of Balochistan.

He said the Baloch separatists had been propagating their subversive views in the Baloch-dominated areas of Dera and Rajanpur. The recent terrorist acts in Dera were the spillover of what was going on in Balochistan, he said, adding the local elements could be discouraged to join the ranks of separatists only by addressing backwardness of the Dera's tribal belt.

He said the provincial government had agreed in principle to his proposal to strengthen the tribal area law-enforcement agencies of the Baloch Levies and the Border Military Police. He said the vacant posts in the levies and the BMP would soon be filled as the provincial government had lifted the ban on recruitment on his request.

Answering a question, he said only those law-enforcers who were well acquainted with the Baloch customs could maintain law and order in the tribal area and the personnel of Levies and the BMP had been carrying out the task satisfactorily.

All the three acts of sabotage were occurred in the area manned by the Punjab police, he averred. It may be added here that Dera DPO Salman Chaudhry has recently demanded that the Baloch Levies and the BMP should be disbanded, urging the provincial government to give the task of the maintenance of law and order in tribal area to the Punjab police.

Mr Leghari warned that if security measures were not taken well in time the saboteurs could target the public places like markets and bus stands. He stressed that the government should take solid steps to ensure participation of the people of Gwadar, Pasni, Makran, Kohlu and Sui in the development and public and private investment schemes being launched there.