LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) Monday sought a reply from the Punjab government and the Interior Ministry in first week of August on a petition seeking implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) and deployment of Rangers in Punjab. Advocate Munir Ahmad had filed the petition. Counsel for petitioner Muhammad Azhar Siddique contended that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was reluctant to execute the NAP in letter and spirit, as it did not want to lose its vote bank, “which directly or indirectly was connected with Rangers operation in Punjab”. He said that security of citizens, maintenance of peace was inevitable to ensure economic progress and development of the country. He submitted that the NAP had been formulated by the nexus of military establishment and other law enforcement agencies and after its formulation a visible shift had been observed and the wave of terrorism, if not eradicated completely, declined at least. He pointed out that the situation of law and order in Karachi had improved considerably after Rangers deployment. He alleged that the federal and Punjab governments had failed to provide a secure environment to the people. He said that the implementation of the NAP would also go a long way to unearth the hand of the foreign agencies, particularly Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in perpetration of the terrorist activities in the country hiring the local mercenaries. He requested the court to order authorities concerned to implement the NAP in Punjab, as law enforcement agencies, including police, have failed to protect the lives of citizens in the province. A petition moved on behalf of the Civil Society Network on the same issue had already been filed. Published in Daily Times, August 1st , 2017.