Come back of FSF to combat terror on the cards.

ISLAMABAD, 01 June, 2009 (Frontier Star) -- In order to confine the role of Pakistan army to fighting external enemies only the government is strongly considering reintroducing Federal Security Force (FSF) which would be placed under Defence ministry and would operate by the orders of the President. Federal Security Force was formerly launched by former Prime Minister and founder Chairman of Pakistan's People's Party late Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in the early 70s. The FSF was dismantled by the martial law regime of Late General Zia-ul-Haque. According to a report published in the Daily Mail quoting sources, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik who had been tasked by President Asif Ali Zardari to work on a plan to create a combat outfit to fight terrorism without engaging the country's regular army in such unconventional fights within the borders has come up with the final plan of re-launching of the Federal Security Force. However unlike Mr. Bhutto, who used FSF as a police force to control political activities against him, this time the FSF would be launched as a Paramilitary combat force to fight terrorism and militancy. The FSF would be placed under Defence ministry and would operate by the orders of the President. The proposed FSF would be having three wings initially that include the Training Wing, The Operations Wing and the Intelligence Wing. The Intelligence Wing would be headed by a senior ISI official and it would work in collaboration and subordination of ISI while the Training Wing and operations Wings are likely to be headed by 2-Star army officer and all the three wings would be under the command of a 3-Star army officer. It is learnt that the FSF can be created by a Presidential Ordinance or the government can go for a legislation in the Parliament. The news paper quoting sources said the government would be having multiple aims and objective behind the idea of the creation of FSF. First of all it intends to relax the regular army from the counter-terror and counter-insurgency duties, secondly the government does not want the training of the troops of regular army for counter-terror operations by the US trainers and after the formation of FSF, the US may be asked by the government to extend its training courtesy to the FSF personnel. The formation of FSF would also enable the federal government to pull out FC and ranger personnel from security duties outside sensitive buildings and offices in federal capital and other major cities across the country. Furthermore the FSF would be trained to specialize in Guerrilla Warfare and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) while the regular military training would be primary training. It is learnt that government plans that instead of giving funds to the provincial government to recruit new police men, would rather allocate al the province the services of FSF. The FSF recruitment would be made from all the four province and the FATA as well as Azad Kashmir. There would be a 10 percent quota for the ex-army men while another 10 percent would be reserved for serving army personnel. It is learnt that initial strength of this Force could be anywhere between 10,000 to 20,000 while the ultimate aim would be to raise its strength to at least one hundred thousand. Certain American officials are also appreciative of idea of creation of such a counter-terror and counter militancy Force and believe that it can be a role model for countries having such problems. There is every likelihood that the Americans would be having no hesitation for providing Pakistan with funds and weapons as well as training services for the creation of such an outfit, the newspaper said.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)