ISLAMABAD, Feb 12: Army officers have been inducted in the Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATCs) to keep a check on the police officials and lawyers, thereby ensuring timely execution of cases.

This was stated by Interior Minister Lt-Gen (Rtd) Moinuddin Haider while replying to a question on lawyers’ protest over the inclusion of army officers in the ATCs. He was speaking at the inauguration of a “model reporting room” at Golra police station on Tuesday.

“There are almost 500 to 600 terrorists, who have committed murders and marred the social fabric of the country but their cases are held up due to want of investigation or coercion and intimidation tactics,” Mr Haider said.

He rejected the protest as uncalled for saying that people should come forward to help the government put an end to the menace of terrorism once and for all. The government has no political ends to meet through setting up of the ATCs and rejected the impression that ATCs were extra-constitutional.

He said members of the judiciary would constitute the benches and the convict would get a chance to appeal before higher courts.

He said there was nothing unusual as far as the ATCs were concerned because the US, considered to be a flag bearer of democracy and human rights, also constituted military courts to deal with the problem of terrorism.

The minister said the setting up of the ATCs was not a decision of one man and maintained that proper consultations were held on the subject.

Replying to a query regarding Daniel Pearl’s abduction, the minister said some positive developments may take place within the next 24 hours.

Earlier, the interior minister said in his speech that the gap between public and police was being bridged and grievances of people were being solved. The police department was becoming a public service department, he added.

He appreciated the efforts of the SSP Islamabad and public participation in setting up of model reporting room in Golra police station and urged the police of the other districts to follow suit.

He informed that Rs1.4 billion had been allocated to the police department for the purchase of new vehicles and Rs1.2 billion would be given for setting up of modern forensic laboratories.

He said public safety commission had been set up to keep a check on police and urged the religious groups not to divide the Muslim Ummah.

The SSP Islamabad, Nasir Khan Durrani, in his welcome speech, said the modern reporting room was a symbol of community policing. He said efforts were being made to streamline the police check-posts in view of public complaints.