November 25, 2007	Sunday	Ziqa’ad 14, 1428

PESHAWAR, Nov 24: NWFP Information Minister Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani said on Saturday that 1,000 people had been killed in terrorism-related cases in the past one year, but the overall law and order situation in the province was not too bad.

Briefing journalists after the caretaker cabinet’s meeting at the Media Centre on Saturday, Mr Gilani said senior home department officials had made a presentation to the ministers about the law and order situation.

He said the cabinet focused on the deteriorating law and order situation in certain districts, which had become a major issue for the caretaker administration before the forthcoming general elections.

Mr Gilani dispelled the impression that the government was considering postponing elections in violence-hit areas of the province, adding that the government was trying to restore peace in the troubled districts in the shortest possible time.

Indirectly justifying the imposition of emergency rule, the minister said that in emergency the federal government could send troops to anywhere in the country to quell violence.

He said the NWFP government would establish its own FM radio station in Swat, which would preach Islamic values and teachings. He said the chief minister had asked police officials to increase their strength and to equip their force with latest weapons so that it could defeat the terrorists who were challenging the writ of the government.

He said that funds were not a problem and the government was focused on improving the training and fighting capacity of security agencies to crush terrorist groups who were equipped with modern weapons.

He said the Provincial Police Officer had told the cabinet that 1,000 people had been killed in the current year in terrorism-related incidents, but the overall situation was not so bad.

When it was pointed out that the spokesmen and commanders of Taliban in Swat were available to the media for their comments, as the government officials preferred to stay silent, Mr Gilani said that Home Minister Shahzada Gustasap Khan, the home secretary and other officials sit at the media centre established in Swat.

“You are free to contact them. They are in a better position to inform you about the latest situation in the troubled districts.”

He said the cabinet had discussed how to improve the law and order situation and restore normalcy to Swat, Shangla and some parts of the NWFP.

He said the cabinet had a limited agenda of conducting and supervising free, fair and transparent elections in the province, adding that a peaceful atmosphere was essential for holding elections and the government was trying to create these conditions by holding jirgas.

He said the government had set up relief camps for displaced and uprooted families in Basham, Mardan, Dargai, Daggar and Barikot. Most of the families, he said, had been accommodated in these shelters. He underlined the need for taking some pro-active steps to improve the situation in Swat and Shangla.

He said he was unaware of many things, but would convey suggestions of the people to the military people dealing with the crisis. He categorically said that elections would be held throughout the province.