Pak. President vows to 'combat terrorism'

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, AUG. 2. Concerned over growing sectarian violence in different parts of the country, the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, has reiterated his Government's resolve to `combat terrorism' in all its forms through effective administrative and legal measures.

Presiding over a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Gen. Musharraf referred to the spate of murders in the last few days and said he expected the law-enforcing agencies to get their act together and track down the criminals.

The killings have created a sense of insecurity and are seen as a challenge to the Government that has been talking tough on the issue of sectarian violence and terrorism.

The Musharraf Government had promised to promulgate an ordinance with stern provisions to deal with organisations and individuals spreading terror. The inexplicable delay in doing so has given room to all kinds of speculation in the media.

``We owe it (ordinance) to the families of the victims,'' the General told his Cabinet colleagues. The Government could not let terror spread and every possible step should be taken to crackdown on the terrorists whether they were from abroad or within.

``My Government shall not be deterred by such acts and we shall chase them till the last of the terrorist is apprehended,'' he said and urged the Interior Minister, Lt. Gen. (retd.) Moinuddin Haider, to pursue the de-weaponisation programme with renewed vigour and ensure that the provinces take concerted action to collect and seize all unauthorised weapons.

The de-weaponisation programme was one of the top items on the agenda of the Musharraf Government within weeks of the General's assumption to power in October 1999.

However, notwithstanding the Interior Ministry's claim on the ``spectacular achievement'' in recovering illegal and illicit weapons, there are serious doubts about its success on this front.

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