LAHORE: Top civil and military officials on Sunday decided to intensify military operations across Punjab.
Participants of an apex committee meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to review law and order in the province resolved to rid the region of extremism, sectarianism, militancy and terrorism.
It was decided that recently launched country-wide military operation Radd-ul-Fasaad would be ramped up, and the scope of Rangers, police and Counter-Terrorism Department operations widened.
The committee also directed law enforcement agencies to provide foolproof security to mosques, imambargahs and other places of worship in the province.
Earlier, it was expected that a decision would be made regarding the venue for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final, which was scheduled to be held in Lahore on March 5. However, no official announcement has been made as yet.
Due to security concerns following a recent wave of terror attacks in different parts of the country, including Lahore, there had been speculation that the PSL final may not be held in Pakistan after all.
Events and activities have been banned in areas surrounding Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium until March 5.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shaharyar Khan had said despite recent terror attacks in Lahore, the PCB was eager to hold the high-profile PSL final in the provincial capital. However, he had categorically stated that the final decision in this regard would rest with the government.
PSL Chairman Najam Sethi had earlier promised Pakistani cricket fans that the PSL final would be held in Lahore, even in the absence of foreign players, if the fans did not want the venue to change following the recent bombings.
“The foreign players have refused to play the final in Lahore after Monday’s blast, but if the citizens of Pakistan want the final of PSL to be held in Lahore despite foreign players not participating in the final, then the final will be held in Lahore,” said Sethi in his statement.
Participants of the apex committee meeting today included National Security Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Nasir Khan Janjua, Commander Lahore Corps Lt Gen Sadiq Ali, Punjab Minister for Anti Terrorism Lt Col (r) Ayub Khan, Director General Rangers Punjab Azhar Naveed Hayat and other top military and civil leadership.
It is the second meeting of the Provincial Apex Committee in the last seven days. The meeting reviewed progress on the ongoing operations by civil and military law enforcement agencies against terrorists and their facilitators in the province.
