ISLAMABAD :President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the war against militancy is a total war and each and every section of the society must rise to the occasion to "defeat the mindset that creates and nurtures militancy." He said this while presiding over a high level meeting along with the Prime Minister in the Presidency on Monday to review the law and order situation.
The meeting was attended by the Federal Ministers for Information, Interior, Chief Ministers, NWFP Governor, Army Chief, the chiefs of intelligence agencies, Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Chief Executive of Northern Areas, the Chief Secretaries and IGPs of all the provinces, Secretary General and senior officers of the relevant ministries of the Federal government.
Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said that the President expressed satisfaction over the successes achieved in the war, and said that the day was not far off when the militants would be crippled and they would pose no threat to the people and the country.
He said that half of the war was to subdue and defeat the militants militarily and half of the war was to win the hearts and minds of the internally displaced persons (IDPs). The President said the international community was more than willing to help Pakistan as was demonstrated in the recent meetings of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) forum and leaders and law-makers of the US, Britain and France during his recent visit to these countries.
He said the people of Pakistan also, through the political parties, supported the ongoing operation against the militants in Swat and other areas of Malakand division as had been demonstrated by the unanimous resolution adopted by the parliament against militancy and the decisions of recently held all parties conference (APC) by the Prime Minister.
The combination of favourable domestic public opinion and the willingness of the international community to help had placed in the hands of the government a great opportunity to eliminate the militants, change the mindset once and for all, he quoted the President as saying.
President Zardari said the nation could not afford to lose this war for the sake of its own survival. He said that while the government was determined to pursue fight to the finish and it was working on a plan to strengthen the capacity of law-enforcement agencies to win this war.
The President advised the government to step up implementation of the plan to strengthen the law-enforcement. According to some reports, the installation of scanners at all the entry points of all major cities was also discussed. The Interior Ministry was told to work out a comprehensive plan in this regard.
The President also underlined the need for strengthening the prosecution so as to bring the militants and criminals to speedy and efficient justice within the bounds of the existing legal framework and laws. President Zardari said that the present fight against militants was also for the fight of ideas.
"For winging this battle of ideas, we need to carry out necessary reforms in the education system, particularly in the Madressah education so as to produce tolerant, moderate and forward looking youth, who naturally detested militancy, extremism and intolerance."
The President also praised Armed Forces and the law-enforcement agencies for the courageous fight they had put up against militants and for the sacrifices they had made. He also praised the Prime Minister and the government for taking the militants' head on.
The President said that an exit strategy with clear objectives be also devised that enabled the civil administration to take over the administration of the areas where the writ of the government had been established and from where the militants had been driven out.
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