Chandigarh, April 23 (IANS) Condemning the incident of the terrorist attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said the state is on high vigil and according top priority to maintain law and order, especially on the interstate border with J&K, as well as along the India-Pakistan boundary.
Also, vigilance has been enhanced in over 160 institutes in the state where students from Jammu and Kashmir are studying.
Interacting with the media after a high-level meeting here, the Chief Minister said this terrorist attack on innocent tourists is a barbaric and inhuman act. He said the incident has once again proved that the terrorists do not have any religion and their sole aim was to spread terror among the masses.
Reiterating the firm commitment of the government to maintain peace and communal harmony in the state, Mann said they are ready to meet any sort of challenge and no one will be allowed to disturb hard-earned peace.
The Chief Minister said checking and patrolling has already been intensified on the interstate and inter-district points, especially in vulnerable areas.
He said that Punjab is fighting the nation's war against drugs and terrorists and is in constant touch with the Jammu and Kashmir government to bring back tourists from the state.
Mann said that a nexus of smugglers, gangsters and terrorists is trying to disrupt the peace through drones, adding that soon the government will rope in anti-drone techniques to check the smuggling of weapons and drugs through the drones.
The Chief Minister said the Punjab Police is fully capable of foiling any such attempt and a perfect coordination is being ensured with the Indian Army and the BSF.
Mann said Punjab has a strong second line of defence in the form of the state police which is committed to maintaining law and order.
The Chief Minister said security at tourist places has been enhanced and no one will be allowed to disturb law and order in the state.
Mann said Punjab has a border with Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir so the state is on high vigil and an eagle eye is being kept against anti-national forces.
He said borders of the state have been already sealed and a red alert has been issued to the police personnel.
He also said that vigilance has also been enhanced in more than 160 institutes where students from Jammu and Kashmir are studying.
Bhagwant Mann said that the state is fully capable of dealing with any such proxy war unleashed by the Pakistan-sponsored anti-Punjab and anti-national nexus of criminals.
He appealed to the people to maintain peace, amity and communal harmony at all cost in this hour of crisis.
He exhorted the people to exercise restraint in these circumstances by displaying the ethos of religious tolerance, unity and brotherhood.