THE recent counter-terrorism policy, as highlighted by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, has many flaws. The policy has highlighted a point that coordination between the police and intelligence agencies will be made on war footings.

Before the attack on the D.I. Khan Jail the intelligence agencies had informed the police about the an imminent attack on the jail by the Taliban.

Similarly, the same memo was sent to provincial government departments. Besides, before the day on which the attack was carried out the same information was again sent to the police and other provincial departments. But unfortunately none took it seriously and thus the blatant attack was allowed to be carried out on an even keel.

So after the failure to respond to such important information, how can one believe that the police will take such information into account in the future?

Likewise, the other important point which has been highlighted in the policy is to provide for long-term basic needs to the victims and their families. Here it is worth mentioning that the police allowed the Taliban, without offering any resistance, to enter the D.I. Khan Jail. The main reason for this was that they knew for sure that if they were killed in the encounter, the government would not help their families. This they knew from the fact that the families of their martyred colleagues were left high and dry with no assistance coming from the government side. So they allowed the Taliban to do whatever they wanted to do.

Another important factor in the policy is the plugging of terrorist financing agencies. But most terrorist outfits have changed their name and gadding around numerous cities for collecting money. Even their movements have been increased in the recent time, especially after the incumbency of the new government.

The policy has proposed that the western border will be cordoned off. Such a policy was also initiated and even carried out by the previous regime. They installed secret cameras at various sensitive places along the border. But unfortunately after a short period of time all those cameras became inoperative.

The policy has specially taken into account the reviving of the education system throughout Pakistan. But they have neglected seminaries’ education system. In Pakistan it is the basic grooming ground for creating sectarianism in the minds of students. And today there are more than 10 million students studying in various seminaries in the country. One can clearly see the plethora of Bravli, Sunni, Shia seminaries and the like. And all have indulged in teaching defensive courses, i.e. how to defend one’s sect and how to prove that the person belonging to other sect is infidel. So, one can clearly imagine what will be the outcome of such education system.

Another dangerous thing worth mentioning is textbooks of these seminaries. Many of these were specially printed by the University of Nebraska, US, during the Zia regime. And I am afraid that these books are still being taught in these seminaries.

Thus, one clearly sees many a loophole that must be plugged on a priority basis. Otherwise the situation will not change.

M. IBRAHIM
Islamabad