Rehman Malik asks Taliban to surrender arms otherwise ready for action

Reiterating his old stance, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has asked the Taliban to surrender arms otherwise ready for action, adding that they were operating on someone else’s instance from Afghanistan.

While interviewing with Radio Pakistan, Malik said the government was committed to take campaign against militancy to its logical ending.

Replying to a query about statement of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman that they would hit back if any operation was launched in North Waziristan, he said they do so at someone else’s guidelines.

He commented, “It is known that Maulana Fazlullah and Maulvi Faqir are operating from Kunhar province of Afghanistan. It would not have been possible for them to carry out attacks on this side of the border, kill our people and take back their own injured without active foreign support”.

He added, “I ask Taliban to surrender arms otherwise government is determined to take campaign against terrorism to its logical conclusion”.

While commenting about prepaid SIMs’ issue, he clarified that they have plan of blocking all undocumented SIMs instantly as it would cause trouble to users besides unhelpfully impacting on revenue.

The minister made it clear that there would have been many acts of terrorism if cellular service was not suspended in four cities of the country on the occasion of Eid.

He said the government had definite information about a conspiracy hatched to destabilise the country and designs of enemies were foiled through effective coordination among intelligence and law enforcing agencies.

“A meeting of all stakeholders would be convened to firm up strategy on how to deal with issuance of SIMs against fake identity cards or in name of someone else”, he observed.

Malik suggested that SIMs should be verified against thumb impression of applicants through database of National Database & Regulatory Authority (NADRA.)

He assured that SIMs’ issue would be resolved keeping in view foreign investment and interests of cellular companies.

A comprehensive strategy would be devised to ensure that mobile phones are not used as tool for terrorism.

Earlier on Tuesday, Malik announced that the government was planning to block pre-paid SIMs issued on fake national identity cards in order to prevent their use in terrorist activities.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=31330

Posted by Faisal Farooq on Aug 24 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.