BAHAWALPUR: No soft corner in the Punjab government for extremists: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said this at a meeting of the divisional peace committee and districts heads of civil administration and police at the local circuit house on Tuesday.

The minister said government’s opponents were propagating that the Punjab government had a soft corner for extremists. This impression, he added, was totally baseless and contrary to the facts. He said that political opponents, instead of giving credit to the Punjab government for its solid measures to eliminate terrorism across the province, were only out to criticise it for the sake of criticism.

He said the masses had rejected critics’ propaganda time and again. He urged the public circles to be vigilant about the activities of strangers and police should be immediately informed about any suspicious activity.

Mr Sanaullah directed the civil administration to keep peace committees functional and convene the meetings of district bodies every month and divisional committees every two months.

He said a march by public representatives, members of peace committees, religious leaders and civil administration would be organised at district headquarters in the province on Muharram 9.

He stressed the need to promote harmony among sects in Muharram and make fool proof security arrangements.

Inspector General Mushtaq Sukhera said two army platoons would be provided to help police on Muharram 10.

Punjab Home Secretary Agha Salman directed the officials to arrange lights, generators and surveillance cameras for the security of mourning gatherings and processions in the area.Punjab Minister for Cooperatives Iqbal Channar, MPAs Jahangir Khawanzada, Rana Abdul Raoof, Shaukat Ali Laleka, Mian Fida Hussain Wattoo and Begum Hasina Naz, Divisional Commissioner Saqib Zafar and acting regional police officer Gauhar Mushtaq Bhutta were present.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2016