Afghanistan Times
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Presidential Palace in a statement has informed about a new security plan for capital Kabul to be functionalized in the near days. A task has been assigned to the Ministry of Interior (MoI) to prepare the plan and it will be implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Defense and the National Directorate of Security (NDS). Based on reports, the security plan has to be implemented in seven priorities, 52 categories and three stages in vulnerable parts of the capital. This is a commendable initiative by the government to secure the national and international community here in Kabul. Following the terrorist attacks in highly secured zones in the capital, residents have repeatedly criticized the government for the inappropriate security arrangements, resulting in deadliest wave of terrorist attacks. Recently Pakistan-based terrorist groups carried out a heinous act of terrorism against Inter-Continental Hotel in which several national and foreign guests were killed, followed by a deadly terrorist attack near the old building of the Ministry of Interior and other parts of the country. It is very much disgusting that government announce security plan for Kabul, after every terrorist attack, but it has yet to be materialized. Last year after the deadliest truck bombing on 31 May, President Ghani commissioned his security experts to develop a new security plan for Kabul, but unfortunately, it was kept in cold storage or not fully funded. Time is running very fast to translate words into action. A comprehensive security plan is the need of the hour. In addition to that, identification of those who help enemies is also very much necessary. The security plan for Kabul should be included increased presence of police officers, NDS operatives and security guards, electronic National Identity Card issue should be resolved as soon as possible to make easy photo ID checks, use of surveillance whether it is human or video, use of certain instruments, like metal detectors or X-ray scanners, banning items seen as a potential hazard in secured areas, random searches, increased enforcement of existing rules and regulations that were previously overlooked, background checks, warning the public of the perceived threat and most importantly, security should be tighten on the routes, entering the Kabul and populations across the city should be registered and permanent security personnel should be deployed to every zone. Moreover, the community should be mobilized and in this regard, special tasks should be assigned to religious scholars, public representatives, influential tribal leaders and civil society to influence the general public in support to our security institutions. Security plan could be fruitful in the presence of tight check and balance.
