Pak to reduce terror licenses
In a move designed to reduce resource stress and regulate the booming terror industry in the country, the Pakistani government has decided to reduce the number of terror licenses issued by it to terror groups operating within its territory. It may be remembered that the Pakistani terror regulator Terror Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (TRAP) had in the past issued licenses to terrorist groups to support and regulate the terrorism industry. TRAP, established as a independent body under the Pakistani Defense ministry, has been working overtime in the last few months to balance budgetary constrains, international pressure and internal conflicts to ensure equitable distribution of state resources to terror groups.
"We are facing the same situation that the Telecom Regulatory Authority in India is facing - too many players and few resources. In addition to our home grown terror groups like Lashkar and Jaish, we have foreign groups also who are operating from here. Our licensing policy can no longer support the growth that terror industry has seen over the last few years. We are therefore overhauling the policy framework to iron out a few fault lines that have been identified," Pakistani terror minister said on the sidelines of a national terror summit organized in Lahore on Friday.
At present, Pakistan is divided into 7 terror circles with 4 licensed operators operating in each circuit. Lashkar, Jaish and Al Qaeeda are among groups who have a pan-Pakistan license while groups such as Al Pungee have licenses for two-three circles. The mushrooming of groups has led to breakneck competition and free fall in rates charged by them to execute a terror activity. During the days when recession was on, few terrorists who were on the bench, broke away from their parent groups and started their own ventures.
Pakistan is also running out of free land to offer to terror groups to create nurseries. An attempt to create Special Terror Zones in various cities ran into rough weather recently, with various NGOs questioning the land acquisition process.
"We are facing the same situation that the Telecom Regulatory Authority in India is facing - too many players and few resources. In addition to our home grown terror groups like Lashkar and Jaish, we have foreign groups also who are operating from here. Our licensing policy can no longer support the growth that terror industry has seen over the last few years. We are therefore overhauling the policy framework to iron out a few fault lines that have been identified," Pakistani terror minister said on the sidelines of a national terror summit organized in Lahore on Friday.
At present, Pakistan is divided into 7 terror circles with 4 licensed operators operating in each circuit. Lashkar, Jaish and Al Qaeeda are among groups who have a pan-Pakistan license while groups such as Al Pungee have licenses for two-three circles. The mushrooming of groups has led to breakneck competition and free fall in rates charged by them to execute a terror activity. During the days when recession was on, few terrorists who were on the bench, broke away from their parent groups and started their own ventures.
Pakistan is also running out of free land to offer to terror groups to create nurseries. An attempt to create Special Terror Zones in various cities ran into rough weather recently, with various NGOs questioning the land acquisition process.
Running outa free land??
ReplyDeletemaybe they should also go on hunger strike..
after all..its just so simple to get a state or union territory of your own now