The NWFP government on Saturday demanded the federal government make the Swat operation 'more effective'.A meeting of the NWFP cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti, made several decisions to tackle the provincial security situation following a briefing by NWFP Inspector General of Police Malik Naveed and other administrative officials, Information Minister Iftikhar Hussain told reporters.
The meeting observed that Swat operation was not bearing the desired results and innocent people were being killed in most cases instead of those involved in terrorist activities, Hussain said. "The operation must be made effective," he said.
The cabinet also approved increasing the strength of Elite police force, giving police a free hand to take action against kidnappers and equipping the security forces with state-of--the-art gadgets. In this connection, 2,500 personnel would be recruited to the police in a two-phase process. The cabinet agreed to allocate Rs 70 million for the upgradation of the police department and decided to approach the federal government for grant of a special package to buy the latest weapons and intelligence equipment.
"The NWFP government will cut its developmental expenditures to fulfil the requirements of police if the Centre does not agree to release the required amount," he said.
Hussain said police would be allowed to act freely to secure citizens against gangsters and abductors.
The NWFP government also restricted supplies to NATO forces in Afghanistan and decided to allow only 200 containers to be docked at Peshawar's terminals at a single time, the information minister said.
He said that the NWFP government had taken a decision in principle to restore the magistracy system in the province. He said a delegation comprising the NWFP home secretary and other senior officials would meet the corps commander on December 23 to discuss law and order.