QUETTA: Following the killing of policemen and Frontier Corps personnel in the Balochistan capital on two consecutive days, Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri and Commander of Southern Command Lt Gen Aamir Riaz jointly presided over a security meeting on Thursday and discussed steps to stem the fresh tide of terrorism plaguing the strife-torn province.

The meeting was attended by Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti and heads of civil and military law enforcement agencies.

The meeting took notice of the recent breakdown of law and order in Quetta and expressed concern over the fresh wave of terrorist attacks in which eight personnel of police and Frontier Corps (FC) had lost their lives.

The deputy inspector general of police and the FC DIG briefed the meeting on the security situation in the city, with a particular reference to the targeted killing of security personnel and the response plan of law enforcement agencies.

The chief minister said that as terrorists had intensified their activities, law enforcement agencies should become more active and strongly respond to terrorist organisations that wanted to wreck peace in Quetta and other areas of the province.

He said security forces should strike terrorists in their hideouts, adding that the enemies of peace did not want to see Balochistan moving on the path of development and progress.

In view of the situation, he said, security forces should adopt a strategy to pre-empt terrorist attacks and respond to terrorism in a more effective way.

Lt Gen Riaz expressed determination to defeat terrorism and said, “We all should be ready to root out this evil with joint efforts.”

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2016