Aiwan-e-Sadr signals tougher fight ahead: interior secretary suspended by Prime Minister

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has suspended on Friday Interior Secretary Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry, Additional Director FIA and two other officials for stopping Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar from leaving for China. Talking to media at a function here on Friday night in connection of Christmas celebrations, the Prime Minister pointed out that the Defence Ministry is the most important office after the Presidency.
He added that he had also ordered an inquiry into the matter. "Thursday's incident in which the Defence Minster was barred from leaving for China by the FIA officials has damaged country's image. It is always the government which can place anybody's name on the Exit Control List (ECL)," he said.
Answering a question, the Prime Minister said that no one was now blaming or criticising former President Pervez Musharraf and former Prime Minster Shaukat Aziz and his cabinet for introducing the NRO. "President Asif Ali Zardari remained in jail for 12 years for the same cases the media is talking about at present. He added that Rs 5 billion has been spent on these cases for investigation," he said.
Answering a question whether the minister whose cases have been re-opened could be arrested by the Punjab government, he said that the PPP and PML-N were coalition partner in the Punjab, "and why should they be arrested there? I was put behind the bars for five year for giving jobs to people". Answering another question, Gilani said that every dictator had said that he would conduct accountability but Musharraf left the country without carrying out any such job.
He added that the names to be put on the ECL were being finalised in accordance with the apex court's verdict. He added that the government had also prepared the data of the NRO beneficiaries. Answering yet another question, the Prime Minister asked: "the Interior Minister himself arrests the people... who could arrest him? We are waiting for the detailed judgement of the Supreme Court of Pakistan." Answering a question about the military operation, the Prime Minister said it was continuing successfully in Waziristan.
NNI/PPI add: The decision to suspend the interior secretary and others was taken at a meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Friday. The Defence Minister was informed by the FIA officials on Thursday that he could not leave the country as his name was on Exit Control List (ECL) following the reopening of NAB cases against him.
Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar had angrily reacted to the incident and reported it to the President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani. Later, the NAB issued a clarification on the incident saying inclusion of Mukhtar's name in ECL was a mistake and there was no restriction on his travel abroad. Meanwhile chairman National Accountability Bureau Naveed Ahsan has apologised to Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar. The NAB Chairman contacted Ahmed Mukhtar and offered an apology. He had confirmed that Ahmed Mukhtar's name was not included in the ECL.