Federal Minister for Interior, Rehman Malik has denied the existence of Blackwater World-wide, an American Security contractor, in Pakistan saying that Blackwater is not engaged in any sort of activity in Pakistan. "No official or private foreign company has been provided any facility to operate in Pakistan and nobody has applied for visa either", Malik said while talking to media on Wednesday.
Malik sought an early end to a systematic propaganda campaign going on unabated in a section of the press insisting the presence of Blackwater in the capital, saying that there is no organisation working in the name Blackwater in the country. Vowing strict action against the security agencies possessing illegal arms and ammunition, he pointed out that punitive action has already been taken against some of the agencies on receiving credible data/information.
Terming Taliban as 'Zalman' (cruel), the Minister said that the aborigines' of Fata, Swat, Malakand and elsewhere abhor Taliban as they are instrumental in the killing of local youth. Taliban apprehend youth of various areas, employ the youngsters into their so-called army and transform their children into suicide bombers, he added.
Pledging that terrorists have no place in Pakistan, Malik said, adding that Taliban have been marginalised effectively and their remnants would also be apprehended soon. He said that infighting among the Taliban has intensified recently in Swat as they have been divided into seven warring groups. "Wanted terrorist Hakimullah is dead. Molvi Fazalullah would too be eliminated soon. The people of Malakand division Fata and adjoining areas have completely been convinced that Taliban are their real enemies", he said.
He said that Taliban are impeding development activities in their native areas for the last 10 years. People are fed up of their anti-state activities. Commenting on Pak-India relations, he said world must distinguish while dealing with Pakistan and India as Pakistan is also a nuclear state and deserve equal status.
Pakistan and India would have to resolve their bilateral through talks as the people of both the countries want peace and tranquillity. Future of Pakistan is bright as the law and order problem has been resolved and economic meltdown has also been controlled successfully, he said. Hostile elements are involved in creating unrest in Fata and Balochistan, he said and added that evidence would be provided at an appropriate time.
He told the interviewer that there was not a single political prisoner in the country at present. To a question, he said an agreement has been inked with a private airline to start service from Parachinar in next few months. The airline will operate linking Parachinar Peshawar and Islamabad.
In the meantime he said helicopter service has been arranged for the people of Parachinar. The locals have been asked to protect roads in their areas. However, the situation has improved to a great extent as food, medicine supplies are reaching Parachinar without any hindrance, he concluded.
Comments
Comments are closed.