Efforts underway for bringing TTP to table to negotiate group's surrender: Rana Sana

Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah Khan said Saturday that Pakistan wanted the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to surrender, adding that efforts were underway in this regard to bring the militant group to the negotiating table, APP reported.

Addressing a presser, Rana Sanaullah said that it was decided in the National Security Council (NSC) meeting that there would be zero tolerance against the terrorists who wanted to destabilize the country.

All the institutions, he added, are working effectively to root out terrorism from the country, stressing the nation should rest assured that terrorists will be dealt with iron hands.

Talking about the number of terrorist attacks that took place last year, the minister said that around 67 percent of incidents had occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 31 percent in Balochistan, while only one percent took place in Punjab and two percent in Sindh.

The minister said that Shehbaz Sharif, as Punjab’s chief minister, had initiated the process to set up the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in the province, which had been proven effective in controlling terror incidents in the country.

Rana Sanaullah appreciated the role of CTD Punjab and said that all the CTDs of other provinces should put maximum effort to prevent terrorist attacks.

The minister assured that the federal government would provide maximum support and training, especially to the CTDs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan so that they could play their due role in curbing terrorism.

While condemning the recent attack on CTD officers in Khanewal, the minister said martyr Naveed Sadiq Sial had completed several daunting tasks during his duty.

“All the personnel of law enforcement agencies are playing their role in foiling terrorist attacks and their sacrifices for the motherland will not go in vain,” he added.

During the address, he also handed over a cheque amounting to Rs10 million as compensation to the family of Police Head Constable Syed Adeel Hussain, who sacrificed his life in the line of duty by intercepting a suicide bomber in the Federal Capital’s I-10/4 Sector on December 23.

“Besides, the government will provide a housing unit to the family of its own choice, worth Rs 12.5 million, a full pension coupled with allowances to the martyr’s widow and bear educational expenses of the children, under the Prime Minister’s package,” the minister said while paying tribute to the martyred policeman.

He said that the incumbent government had fully acknowledged the services and sacrifices of Islamabad Police, which was evident from the fact that it had paid arrears amounting to Rs 1.22 billion in ‘one go’ to the heirs/families of the martyrs, pending for many years.

In addition, the minister said that the government had brought salaries, allowances, and other facilities of the Islamabad Police personnel at par with the Punjab Police so that they could perform their duties in a more conducive environment with professional dedication.

“Now the Islamabad Police are performing their duties in a more professional way than ever. The timely and effective action of police officials did avert the Federal Capital from an eventual disaster on December 23.”

Rana Sanaullah said that he had issued directives that a Superintendent of Police (SP) would hold a weekly sitting with the heirs of martyrs to solve their problems on priority.

He said it was unfortunate that some elements wanted to fan terror in society by spreading fake security-related threats like the attack on the Parliament House through the media.

"Such accused had been apprehended and were being investigated," he said.

The minister said that the details of the investigation will be shared with the media after its completion in due course of time.