ISLAMABAD, April 6 The government has decided to form a special anti-terrorism force to curb terrorism and suicide bombings.
An interior ministry official told Dawn on Monday that Prime Minister`s Adviser on Interior Rehman Malik informed a meeting on security presided over by Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani about the decision at the interior ministry.
The special force, it is believed, is necessary because of the ineffectiveness of the police.
The government has also decided to enact a new Rent Control Act, requiring landlords and tenants to get registered with their respective police stations.
“Under the new policy, credentials of both landlords and tenants would be submitted with relevant police stations in all provinces and in Islamabad. In case of non-compliance, landlords, tenants and SHOs will be liable for punishments,” the official said.
The anti-terrorism force would comprise 100,000 personnel, 20,000 each for the provinces and the federal capital, the official said.
Personnel of the force would be trained by army commandos. They will get handsome salaries and perks, similar to thse given to the Motorway Police.
The government also decided that ATF personnel would be deployed at important places and buildings.
The meeting was attended among others by Minister of State for Interior Tasneem Ahmed Qureshi, Secretary Interior Syed Kamal Shah, home secretaries and inspectors-general of police of the provinces and Islamabad, chief commissioner of Islamabad.
