Malik threatens direct anti-terror action in Punjab

[UmarJustice]

Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that the federal government will take action by its own if Punjab government failed to hunt down terrorists in the province.

Malik said the top leadership of Lashkar-e-Jhanjvi (LeJ), the anti-Shia militant group that claimed the last Saturday’s deadly attack in Quetta’s Hazara Town, was based in Punjab. “Terrorists are having havens in Punjab,” he said, adding that greater steps were required to nab the violence mongers and terrorists in that province.

Talking to the media after 25th passing out parade of police recruits at Police Lines in Islamabad on Saturday, he however appreciated detainment of LeJ leader Malik Ishaq by Punjab government while urging the provincial administration for the launch of criminal cases against him.

Upon being asked about the purposed talks between the government and the Taliban, the minister repeated his invitation to the TTP (Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan) for negotiations saying that if Taliban announce their negotiating team, ‘we are ready for talks’.

But Malik said the Taliban will have to demonstrate seriousness and “they first have to surrender their weapons”. He said that it seems when Taliban feel they are losing ground they come up with the offer of dialogue. Taliban have rejected calls for laying down arms and their spokesman, Ehsanullah Ehsan, said that ceasefire could be on the agenda if the talks are started.

To a question, Malik said that Pakistan would formally request Interpol to gain custody of Maulvi Faqir Muhammad, who was captured by Afghanistan at the Pak-Afghan border. The minister said Faqir was wanted in different cases of terrorism and “we want his deportation to Pakistan so that action could be initiated against him”.

Recently Pakistan had asked the Afghan government for the handover of Faqir but Afghan Foreign Ministry refused it saying there is no bilateral agreement for exchange of prisoners. Moreover, Afghanistan says that Pakistan has also refused to hand over the Afghan Taliban prisoners to the country when Afghan authorities asked for their return at a London summit this month.

Faqir, who had been chief of Taliban in Bajaur tribal region, had fled to Afghanistan after the 2008-2009 military operation in his area, Pakistani officials say. He was suspected to be behind attacks on Pakistan forces in Bajaur and attacks on Pakistani border posts from Afghan soil. The Taliban leadership had removed him as deputy of the group after reports that he was involved in unauthorised talks with the government.

Earlier addressing the participants of passing out parade the interior minister said Pakistan is passing through a critical phase and facing challenges of extremism and terrorism. He said the PPP government soon after assuming power decided to enhance the capacity and capability of law enforcement agencies.

He said the nation knows that the elements plotting to destabilize Pakistan by conducting terrorism in Karachi‚ Peshawar and Quetta have failed. He expressed the hope that the nation would overcome the terrorism with the help of law enforcing agencies. He said Pakistan lies at the crossroads of Central and South Asia and due to its geostrategic importance and nuclear status‚ it has become a target of foreign interests that want to harm it.

The minister said the government decided to give representation to Baloch people in all departments and the induction of Baloch youth in Islamabad Police as part of Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan is reaffirmation of this commitment. He urged the Baloch youth on mountains to come down and become part of mainstream life.

Malik threatens direct anti-terror action in Punjab | The Nation

Rashid raps ‘Malik terror-politics’
The Punjab government has urged Interior Minister Rehman Malik to refrain from politicking on the serious issue of terrorism.

Spokesperson Senator Pervaiz Rashid Saturday said that Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) leader Malik Ishaq has been arrested for a second time by the Punjab government as he was earlier arrested in 1997.

He said Rehman Malik is levelling allegations only for political gains. He asked Malik to check the record so he could know that Ishaq was sentenced a number of times by the lower courts but he was later released by higher courts in appeals during the Musharraf era. He said the federal interior minister neither wrote any letter to Punjab government for the arrest of Ishaq nor did he provide any material providing grounds for the detention of LeJ chief.

Senator Pervaiz Rashid said that eleven arm licences were issued to Malik Ishaq and his two sons Malik Usman and Malik Muhammad Haq Nawaz by PPP Sindh and BalochIstan governments.

Similarly, the prohibited licenses were also issued to Malik Ishaq by the federal government but the Punjab government repeatedly asked the federal government to stop issuing prohibited bore licenses.

Senator asked interior minister that instead of levelling allegations, he should tell why licenses were issued by the PPP government. Pervaiz Rashid said that due to the arrest by the previous Punjab government Malik Ishaq had to spend 14 years in jail. He said why Rehman Malik did not arrest Malik Ishaq when he was roaming freely for getting licenses from Sindh and Balochistan govts.

He said that free roaming of Malik Ishaq is the result PPP government policies and a conspiracy is being hatched to put the responsibility on Punjab government.http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/lahore/24-Feb-2013/rashid-raps-malik-terror-politics?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online%2F24hours-news+%28The+Nation+%3A+Latest+News%29&utm_content=FeedBurner

 

[ice_man]

for god sake someone remove this guy he is total useless and he couldn't protect BB as her personal security chief! and then he got upgraded to Pakistan interior minister!!!

he sucks at his job!!! he is directly responsible for the failures of FIA and IB!!!

 

[Tiger Awan]

Better threaten Baluchistan govt and ask them to provide some evidence to Punjab govt. Doing politics on dead bodies #Cheap

 

[UmarJustice]

What action did Malik take against terrorists in Balochistan?

LAHORE: Responding to the allegations levelled by Interior Minister Rehman Malik about the safe heavens of terrorists in the Punjab, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday asked what action Rehman Malik had taken against the terrorists in Balochistan as they were unleashing a rein of terror against the Hazara community as nearly 200 people of the community had fallen victims to bomb blasts within a short span of time.



He said that the law and order situation in the Punjab was much better than that of other provinces as Balochistan was on the hit list of terrorists, the Khyber Pakthtunkhwa was facing the brunt of the war of terror and Karachi was in the grip of target killers and extortionist mafia.



He said this after visiting the residence of late Dr Ali Haider in Gulberg on Saturday and condoled with the family over the tragic killing of the renowned eye specialist and his son by terrorists. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif was also present on the occasion.



They expressed their heartfelt sympathies with members of the bereaved family, offered Fateha and prayed that Allah Almighty may rest the departed souls in eternal peace.



Shahbaz Sharif said on the occasion the law and order situation in the Punjab was much better as compared to other provinces. He said there was a lawful and constitutionally-elected government in the Punjab, which is efficiently discharging its duties.



Talking to the family and later to the media, Nawaz Sharif said he was deeply saddened by the brutal murder of Dr Ali Haider and his son, and he shared the grief of the members of the family. He said the services of Dr Ali Haider and his family for the country were highly valuable.



Nawaz said the Punjab CM was taking personal interest in the case, and the police have been directed to arrest the culprits at the earliest. He said innocent Muslims were martyred in Quetta and had the federal government taken timely action over the tragic incident on the Almdar Road, the Hazara Town tragedy could have been averted.



Shahbaz said the culprits involved in the killing of Dr Ali and his son would be brought to the book at all costs. He said the killing was a test case for the Punjab Police, who have been directed to investigate all aspects of the case. Shahbaz said he was personally monitoring the investigation of the case.



The CM said his opponents were claiming 90 billion rupees had been spent on the road project in Lahore despite the fact that it cost only Rs30 billion. However, he added giving any importance to those allegations was only a waste of time. Shahbaz said Rehman Malik should inform the nation what action he had taken over the killing of hundreds of innocent Muslims in Balochistan.



What action did Malik take against terrorists in Balochistan? - thenews.com.pk

 

[Leader]

pmln has given state protection to malik ishaq, rehman malik threats to take action, both ruled the country for 5 years... now 20 days are left..... ASWJ gets its dharna end when an FIR is launched against FC for taking down sectarian terrorists


please all of you jahanum mein jao !!

 

[Bilal587]

Uncle Malik Punjab ko to chor do

Now some forces wants to convert Lahore place like Karachi. When they scumbags will go and Pakistan will be free from these foreign paid gadars

 

[jaibi]

There needs to be unity in the political will when it comes to terrorists, not divisions. If we arm our police well enough and give them the logistical and legal support they need I believe the terrorists can be successfully hunted down in Punjab.