CHANDIGARH: Except for three border districts of Gurdaspur Amritsar and Ferozepur Punjab Government has withdrawn Punjab disturbed areas act and Armed Forces Punjab and Chandigarh special powers act from the remaining nine districts of the State. The two acts empower the security forces to take drastic steps to counter terrorism which other laws do not provide.
The terrorist and disruptive activity prevention act being a central law the Punjab government cannot restrict its jurisdiction in the state. The government however is considering reviewing cases registered in the state under the act.”
After withdrawal of the act from rest of the state Security Forces is now concentrating on the three border districts including the three newly created districts of Tarn Taran Majitha and Batala. But there will be no letup in surveillance, the official spokesman said. The districts which will not be covered include Ropar, Patiala, Sangur, Bathinda, Faridkot Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and Jullundar.
Meanwhile the report received has here said that the Mand operation against the militants was proceeding as planned but details were kept secret. More than twenty companies and more than 1200 security personnel has been deployed to make door to door searches in the area falling mostly in Kapurthala and Amritsar districts. The mund is the Riverain tract with wild growth and water course with a perimeter of more than 104 kilometers starting from Kapurthala and going up to Harike.
The Punjab government has also lifted restriction as the entry of foreigners into the state. It was officially announced here on Thursday. A notification on to this effect has been issued by the Union Home Ministry.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 17, 1989
