ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: A total of 958 people suspected of being involved in terrorism-related offenses have been arrested so far in Punjab as part of the implementation of anti-terror national action plan (NAP).
The police have arrested 244 suspects in Sindh, 234 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 188 in Balochistan and 235 in Islamabad since the NAP was adopted last month, says a report published on Radio Pakistan.
The report says that 5,487 search operations have been conducted in Punjab as against 322 in Sindh, 1,223 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 12 in Balochistan and 275 in Islamabad.
It says that 33,591 people were searched in stop and search at check-posts in Punjab, 2,887 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 20 in Balochistan and 484 in Islamabad.
Likewise, 329 people were arrested for hate speech in Punjab while 10 people were arrested in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on same charges.
The report says that for the misuse of loudspeakers 2,837 cases were registered in Punjab out of which 1,471 were arrested whereas 14 people were arrested in Islamabad on this charge.
Similarly, in Punjab 41 shops have been sealed, hate material has been confiscated from 1,085 places and 166,000 Afghan refugees have been registered.
In addition, so far 20 convicted criminals have been hanged since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif lifted a six-year moratorium on death penalty on December 17.
The executions include 14 in Punjab, 5 in Sindh and one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The national action plan against terrorism was adopted in the wake of the deadly terror attack that hit an army-run school in Peshawar on December 16, claiming lives of 150 persons mostly children.
The prime minister has asked the provincial governments to implement the NAP in its letter and spirit in order to eradicate the menace of terrorism and extremism from the country.
Sharif said that the federal government would provide necessary resources for the capacity building of law enforcement agencies in all parts of the country.
