Dr. Yasmin Raashid, advisor to PTI Chairman said due to little action against banned outfits in Punjab, even after National Action Plan (NAP), thousands of people of banned outfits have joined the militant Islamic State (IS) group. Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanullah has confessed that situation is getting worse and so far around 100 people have gone to Iraq and Syria to join IS she added. She said Rana Sanullah has just revealed the number of the people who have left to join IS from Lahore and its outskirts. Rana Sanullah has no idea what is going on in South Punjab, which is hub of banned outfits she added. She said although the security personnel had arrested several IS militants during raids conducted in different cities these arrests are not enough until and unless operation clean up is not carried on against banned outfits in Punjab she added. She said effective intelligence based operations need to be carried out relentlessly across the Punjab. If given free hand, this evil will surface again and it would even be more difficult to eliminate them than TTP she added.
PTI Information Secretary Andleeb Abbas said leaflets calling for support for Islamic States were seen in several parts of the Punjab during the last year but Punjab government was least bothered to take any action on them. This time when Pakistan is already fighting a war against terrorism there is no room for complacency for Punjab government and its law enforcement agencies to let IS flourish in Pakistan she added. She said the suspects who are arrested in Sialkot last week has revealed that they are also involved in recruitment and collection of funds for the IS. The suspects have also revealed that they were working for one of the banned outfit before joining IS she added. She said Pakistanis are still unaware of the actual position of IS in Pakistan. People are being arrested from Punjab for their links with IS while our Foreign Office is saying there are no signs of IS in the country she added. She said the government needs to come out of denial mode and start a ruthless operation against banned outfits. It is high time that Punjab government launches extensive operation, which ensures that innocent people do not get brainwashed and inspired by these evil groups she added. She said Punjab government should take the presence if IS in Punjab seriously and critically. By continuously monitoring with intelligence based targeted operation and implementing NAP, roots of this evil could be nipped in the bud she added. She said under playing it would be dangerous.