Pak to set up new anti-terrorist force

Islamabad, June 2 (ANI): Pakistan has decided to set up a new special anti-terrorist force (SATF) in all four provinces and in federal capital, Islamabad.

The high level meeting, jointly presided by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani at the Presidency, reviewed the law and order situation in the country and decided to set up SATF.

The sources said it was decided to constitute a new special anti-terrorist force. The force would be trained to deal with acts of terrorism and provided with latest weapons.

In the special anti-terrorist force, the sources said, 25,000 personnel would be recruited in each province and the federal capital. Each personnel would draw a monthly salary equal to 300 dollar.

The meeting also approved suggestions of the provinces to the improve law and order situation. It was also decided that provincial governments would be provided special funds for maintaining law and order, they added.

Speaking on the occasion, President Zardari said 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 an exit strategy with clear objectives should also be devised to enable the civil administration take over the administrative control of the areas where the writ of the government has been re-established after driving out militants.

The sources said Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani also updated the meeting about the operation 'Rah-e-Rast'. He informed the meeting that around 1,300 terrorists had been killed in the operation.

Meanwhile, talking to the media about the meeting, presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the president had expressed satisfaction over the success achieved in the war against terror and said the day was not far off when militants would be crippled and they would no longer be able to pose any threat to the people and the country. (ANI)