ISLAMABAD, March 19: A meeting presided over by President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday decided to reorganize the whole judicial, prosecution and intelligence gathering system to effectively check the recurrence of terrorist and subversive acts in the country.

“The president categorically told the meeting that no more violence and terrorism is acceptable and if it happens in future, concerned officials will be taken to task,” said Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi, press secretary to the president.

He told Dawn that the president had taken a serious notice of the prevailing law and order situation and warned that no laxity would be tolerated in maintaining law and order.

“People are sick of violence and terrorism and if the personnel of the police, rangers and other para-military forces do not perform well, they will be sacked from their services,” Gen Qureshi quoted the president as having stated at the meeting.

The president said that the police, backed by the rangers and the army where required, must ensure peace and law and order during Muharram. In this regard, Mr Qureshi said, the meeting reviewed a security plan prepared by the interior ministry and gave necessary instructions to achieve the desired results.

The president asked the concerned officials attending the meeting why again three people had been killed in Lahore earlier in the day and whether any responsibility had been fixed as to who had done that.

Maj-Gen Qureshi, who also heads Inter-Service Public Relations, said the president had told the meeting that in the first place the law enforcement agencies should prevent the incidence of violence and terrorism by improving their intelligence gathering services. “And if any such incident occurs then you must get hold of the culprits and I would not listen any excuses in this behalf,” The president was quoted by the ISPR chief.

“I would judge the performance of the concerned officials on the basis of what is happening on the ground and if they do not perform then they will not be excused at all,” the president said.

Gen Musharraf said that such a system should be evolved that judiciary could accelerate the process with a view to punishing the culprits involved in subversion and terrorism.

According to an official announcement, the president reiterated the government’s commitment to pre-empt, prevent and investigate terror acts, and to create an effective mechanism to ensure safety and security of citizens.

He said people expected fast and speedy justice and “it is our duty to live up to their expectations”.

Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider briefed the meeting about the terrorist attack on the International Protestant Church, Islamabad, on Sunday in which five people had been killed and 45 others had suffered injuries.

The participants took a serious notice of the recent “security lapse” and decided to remove forthwith four police officials of Islamabad; the IGP, SSP, DSP and the SHO concerned.

The meeting also took note of the various delays caused in the disposal of the anti-terrorism cases, and the president directed the law minister to coordinate and look into the matter and ensure speedy disposal of those cases.

The meeting was attended among others by Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool, Sindh Governor Mohammedmian Soomro, Information Minister Nisar A. Memon, and Vice Chief of Army Staff General Mohammad Yousaf Khan.