PTI concerns at Islamabad’s police-armed man standoff

Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf Friday expressed its serious concerns over the standoff between an armed man and the Islamabad police close to the Red Zone of the capital Islamabad. 

The PTI leadership collectively feels that the breach of security exposed the complete lack of preparedness on the part of the security apparatus to deal with even a single terrorist holding the whole capital hostage close to the extra-high security Red Zone.  

The ICT showed its total lack of preparedness and access to rapid response resources in the form of snipers, commandos – all of which they have to ask for from Punjab police, thereby causing dangerous delays in responding to a terror/hostage situation.  

PTI also expressed concern over the lack of policy guidance from the Interior Ministry. This is part of the overall dangerous vacuum prevailing across the country in the absence of a holistic national security policy encompassing a counter terror strategy. 

PTI also pointed out that the lack of a proper policy for media in such security situations was abundantly clear and led to the electronic media dictating the unfolding of the drama with live coverage and interviews with the terrorist and his wife.  

“A total lack of civic responsibility was evident across the board. Such unhindered media access in such a sensitive terrorist situation with no guidelines will be tempting for others to follow suit,” a PTI statement said.  

Finally, the PTI leadership also expressed concern over the inability of the security forces to vacate the area off the general public who became a continuing source of hindrance in the way of the security forces efforts to act.  

It was horrifying to see young children in the forefront of the crowds that kept increasing as the incident prolonged.  

PTI demanded an immediate enquiry into how this major security lapse occurred and why there was a total absence of any coordinated policy on the ground to conduct a proper security operation. 

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=41244

Posted by Tahir Khan on Aug 16 2013. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.