Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Tuesday said he had only discussed registration of an FIR against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain with the UK high commissioner and that he did not hand over any dossier about Altaf Hussain to him.
Speaking at a news conference, Chaudhry Nisar said that he discussed with the UK HC the threatening statement of Altaf Hussain against Rangers and registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Altaf. He said he had asked the UK high commissioner whether UK laws allow a person living in the UK to deliver hate speeches against law enforcement agencies in Pakistan.
He said that the government would learn about the reaction of the UK on Altaf Hussain's statement one the UK high commissioner returned to Islamabad.
To a question about bringing back Altaf Hussain to the country, he said that the government was looking into its legal aspects. He, however, later denied that he had made these remarks.
He further said that MQM is a political party and all its workers are patriotic. "MQM leadership have demanded handing over Karachi to military," he said.
Nisar said that Karachi operation was launched after consensus of all the political parties, including MQM.
About the placement of names of senior MQM leaders on Exit Control List (ECL) after the statement of Saulat Mirza, a death row convict, he said no name would be put on ECL just over the statement of a person or his direction. "Presently, the names of as many as 8,500 persons are on ECL for the last many years," he said.
He said that the government would soon introduce a new ECL policy under which the names of alleged criminals would be put on ECL only for three years.
About a delay in the execution of death row prisoner Saulat Mirza and Shafqat Hussain, he said the interior ministry had made a request to delay hanging of Mirza for 72 hours on the request of government of Balochistan. But later the government felt it necessary to investigate the allegations made by Saulat against MQM leadership during his video statement and sent a summary to President through Prime Minister, requesting them to further delay Saulat's execution for 90 days.
He said that Saulat Mirza will be executed on April 1, according to the fresh death warrants issued by the court. However, he said that President will decide the time for hanging of Saulat Mirza.
The Interior Minister said the execution of Shafqat Hussain has been delayed for a month till the resolution of his age matter. The Ministry for Interior has constituted a committee consisting officials of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to ascertain the age of Shafqat Hussain, he said.
He said that justice will be provided to Shafqat Hussain as well as the parents of slain children. He also dismissed the impression that Shafqat Hussain's execution was delayed due to any foreign or international pressure, adding that rumours regarding provision of legal assistance to Shafqat Hussain through public prosecutor are baseless.
To another question, he said that it is not confirmed yet whether Tehreek-e-Taliban chief Maulana Fazlullah is dead.
He said that under the transfer of Prisoner Agreement between Pakistan and the UK, four prisoners convicted by the UK courts on charges of murder and drug trafficking were transferred to Pakistan in 2010 and released within days illegally in connivance with the Ministry of Interior officials. One of the freed prisoners was arrested from within the country while the other three who fled abroad have been intercepted with the help of Interpol along with FIA and their extradition process is under way, he said.
The Minister said that nine more prisoners convicted by a Thailand court in drug related cases were shifted to Pakistan under the transfer of prisoner agreement without bringing the case into the notice of Ministry of Interior. The deportation of these people has been delayed due to certain complications but they would be deported within 48 hours, he said.
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