Gilani forms committee to curb terrorism

Islamabad, Sep 24 (UNI) Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has formed a high-powered committee to devise a strategy for curbing terrorism.

The committee was constituted at a high-level meeting, which took place days after a massive car bombing at Marriott hotel in Islamabad killed at least 53 people including 11 foreigners and wounded 260 others.

According to officials sources, Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik would head the committee, which would comprise Law Minister, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission and secretaries for Interior, Foreign Affairs and Information.

Directors-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau and Federal Investigation Agency, chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority and the Islamabad police chief would also be a part of the committee, sources added.

Chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, the meeting decided that the committee would prepare an anti-terror strategy after reviewing all aspects and its repercussions.

It was asked to present the strategy to the prime minister in three days.

The committee however, has not been mandated to decide on whether the government should hold talks with militants but would only suggest measures to prevent and foil attempts to carry out suicide attacks in the country.

According to an official handout, the committee would review the existing system of disaster management, identify shortfalls and give recommendations within three days to check the security threat to the federal capital in the wake of the attack on Marriott Hotel.

The meeting decided to equip all security forces, especially police, with modern weapons, gadgets and bomb detectors.

The prime minister said the government would provide funds to enable law-enforcement agencies to enable them to deal with acts of terrorism.

UNI XC RJ KN1127