[Photo: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah chairing provincial apex committee meeting at CM House: PPI]

By Habib Khan Ghori

KARACHI, (Dawn): The Sindh government has decided to initiate a crackdown on 48 seminaries which have been found to be promoting terrorism in the country in general and in the province in particular. Besides, a task force has also been constituted to check finance sources of terrorism, including protection money, ransom money, land grabbing, smuggling and collection of donations, hides and Fitra.

These decisions were taken by Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah during the Sindh apex committee meeting, which was presided over by him at CM House here on Thursday. Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad also attended the meeting on a special invitation. Others who attended the meeting included provincial ministers Sharjeel Inam Memon, Syed Murad Ali Shah, Dr Sikandar Mandhro, Suhail Anwar Siyal, and Corps Commander Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhtar, Rangers DG Major General Bilal Akbar, Sindh IG Ghulam Hyder Jamali, Home Secretary Mukhtiar Soomro, Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Siddiqui, Law Secretary Meer Mohammad Shaikh, Advocate General Fatah Malik, Prosecutor General Sher Mohammad Shaikh and provincial heads of intelligence agencies.

Briefing a group of journalists about the decisions taken by the apex committee after the meeting, Information Minister Memon said that some decisions included evolving of close coordination among all secret agencies, checking of smuggling of Iranian oil, installation of biometric system on all the exit and entry points of Sindh, and setting up of checkpoints with representatives of police, Rangers, customs, FIA and other agencies concerned to check incoming and outgoing vehicles.

In reply to a question, the minister also said that the biometric system was being installed to record electronic attendance of employees in all government institutions so that ghost employees could be screened out.

He said that through the information collected by the secret agencies and law enforcement agencies, it was established that the funding of violence and terrorism had deep roots in ill-gotten money. “There are different sources such as bhatta collection from different government or private institutions, collection of donations, forced or voluntary collection of hides, Fitra, kidnapping for ransom, payments to ghost employees, land grabbing, and smuggling particularly of Iranian oil. These are some of the major sources of financing of terrorism and violence,” he said.

The minister said the chief minister being the head of the apex committee decided to constitute a task force to suggest and curb ways and means of funding of violence and terrorism. “The government will also enact laws to stop smuggling of Iranian oil.”

About reforms of seminaries, he said that the provincial government had given its input to the federal government which had worked out a comprehensive Madaris Registration Form.

“The Sindh government has received concrete evidence of 48 seminaries promoting terrorism in the country in general and in the province in particular. The government would take Wifaqul Madaris into confidence before initiating any action against them,” he added.

The minister said the chief minister congratulated the provincial heads of secret agencies, Rangers DG and IG for not only solving the Safoora Goth carnage case but also for restoring peace to Karachi by eliminating targeted killing, kidnapping for ransom and extortion.

The chief minister asked the IG, advocate general and prosecutor general to pursue not only the Safoora Goth carnage case but also other crimes the culprits had confessed to have committed. “I want you to induct efficient investigators who take ownership of the cases and take the culprits to task. This is a mission, he said, that you have to accomplish by collecting solid and scientific evidence.”

http://www.dawn.com/news/1186198/crackdown-on-48-seminaries-promoting-terrorism-planned