Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Monday said that government would not bar Minhaj-ul-Quran Chief, Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri announced 'long march' to Islamabad, but he must opt for a park as a venue for his rally.
"No one would be stopped from holding long march and they will be provided all facilities including food, water and security", he said while talking to media persons. According to him, political parties and terrorists always select Islamabad whenever they need some publicity.
He said that residents of Islamabad were fed up with protest rallies. "Tahir-ul-Qadri should stage his rally in a park to show his strength instead of disrupting the routine business of the city," he said. Malik said that MQM was simultaneously an ally of the present government and principal supporter ally of Tahir-ul-Qadri, "but the PPP feels no threat from both the parties."
He said the government was ready to hold talks with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Chief Hakimullah Mehsud if he renounced violence. The Interior Minister said the TTP had given no answer to response question whether it would renounce violence despite a passage of 48 hours. "When a reply is received all stakeholders will be consulted and the nation's sentiments will be taken into consideration before implementing any policy regarding the TTP," he said.
Regarding former Prime Minister Benazir Bhotto murder investigation, he said the investigators have got important clues through mobile SIMs. Investigators had arrested a number of people involved in the Benazir murder case through mobile numbers, he said. Malik said the name of former president General Pervez Musharraf was also included in the list of killers and efforts were under way to arrest him.
Earlier, addressing a ceremony here at Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) of Islamabad police, Rehman Malik said that Islamabad police successfully secured the capital through several rings of security checkpoints, effective Intelligence network, patrolling and halting points. He said he tried to enhance capacity of Islamabad police during his tenure and assigned the responsibility of counter-terrorism cell to IGP Islamabad Bani Amin Khan who accomplished the task in an effective manner.
The minister appreciated the role of Islamabad police for providing forensic assistance to 'Joint Investigation Team' probing the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. He said that 17 suicide jackets were recovered by Islamabad police, "which is a great success against terrorists."
He said he would recommend IGP's name for `Sitar-e-Shujaat'. According to him, three more police officials will be given commendation certificates and medals on the basis of their courageous and dedicated services. IGP Islamabad Bani Amin Khan said that during the year 2012, 270 car thieves had been arrested and a total of 251 vehicles traced, out of which 151 were stolen from Islamabad, 42 from other districts and cases of 58 vehicles were still under process.
He said Islamabad police provided foolproof security to 48 International Conferences, including the prestigious D-8 Conference. Besides, 1136 movements of the VVIPs, foreign/missions, delegations and dignitaries were also provided foolproof security.
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