GILGIT: The district administrations and the police have been directed to keep a close eye on the people placed on the Fourth Schedule to maintain law and order situation in the region.

The directives were issued at a high-level meeting chaired by GB home secretary Iqbal Hussain here on Wednesday, according to a press release issued by the region’s information department.

The meeting was convened to ensure implementation of the decisions taken at a recently-held Gilgit-Baltistan Apex Committee meeting.

Secretary information Safdar Khan, secretary social welfare Wali Khan, officers of law enforcement agencies, district administration and other concerned departments were in attendance.

The meeting reviewed the steps taken for maintaining law and order situation in the region.

The meeting decided that the Fourth Schedulers would have to take permission from the local administration and police for moving from district to another. The Fourth Schedulers were also directed to submit their collateral bonds immediately.

The meeting was informed that currently there were 36 persons placed on the Fourth Schedule, and that 54 cases had been registered under anti-terrorism laws in the region.

Home secretary Iqbal Hussain directed the district administrations and the police department to take steps to protect mosques, imambargahs, congregation halls and other places of worship. He also directed the district administrations to expedite the registration process of seminaries.

He also asked the secretary information to formulate a comprehensive social media policy in consultation with home and law departments to prevent the spread of hate content on social media platforms.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2022