Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Thursday said that security forces are taking action in self-defence, saying a dialogue and acts of terrorism cannot go hand in hand. Addressing a press conference, he said the security forces are undertaking action in 'self-defense', which is their right and government cannot take this right from the armed forces.
"No operation has been undertaken in FATA since September last year and the current action is being carried out by the security forces in self defense," he added. He said talks with Taliban suspended after they executed 23 FC personnel and carried out other terrorist strikes across the country. "Amid terrorists attacks talks with Taliban would be an injustice to the victims of such attacks," he said.
The Minister said the decision to suspend talks with Taliban has been taken by Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif after consultation with Military leadership and the government committee constituted for dialogue. He said that talks cannot move forward till the end of a bloodbath. However, he expressed optimism that there are still some clear chances of dialogue resumption with Taliban.
The Interior Minister said if the Prime Minister seems under pressure it is due to bloodshed and terrorist attacks and there is no other reason. Nisar said that soon after the Karachi blast the government had decided for a military operation and for this purpose Prime Minister's speech was prepared to address the nation, but later it was decided to give yet another opportunity of negotiations to Taliban.
Nisar said the government initiated a dialogue process with sincerity and asked the political parties opposing the move as to why they had failed to launch a military operation against militants during their tenure. He said the committees formed by the government and the Taliban for holding negotiations played a positive role towards the dialogue process.
He said that following the decision of an All-Parties Conference (APC)‚ the Prime Minister is making sincere efforts to address the menace of terrorism through a dialogue. He said that for three months the dialogue process was carried forward in a secret manner but a drone strike sabotaged the progress. Again, the Prime Minister constituted a negotiating committee for dialogue with Taliban but talks were suspended due to recent terrorist attacks.
Nisar out-rightly rejected Imran Khan's statement through which he had quoted the prime minister as telling him that the army had said that there were 40% chances of success of a military operation. Clarifying media reports that Ministry of Interior in a report declared the federal capital an "extremely dangerous" city, Nisar said that Islamabad is one of the most safest cities in the country and added that threat perception in Islamabad and some other parts of the country had lowered during the last seven months due to measures taken by the government.
The Minister said he can say with responsibility that Islamabad is safe and the present government is making serious efforts to make the entire country secure. To curb terrorists and other criminals a Rapid Response Force has been established in Islamabad which is equipped with sten-guns and other latest equipment, he said.
He said the present government has finalised the draft of National Security policy and presented it to the cabinet. The cabinet meeting will be convened during the next week and a final approval will be given to national security policy. Under the National Security policy, a joint intelligence directorate of 26 intelligence agencies will be set up, Rapid Response Force will be established in all the four provinces, security forces will be equipped with latest equipment and National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) will soon be re-established following the approval of a National Security policy. He said that after clearance of the court‚ Islamabad Safe City Project would be launched during the next few weeks. It includes installation of 1500 security cameras and a central command system in the city.
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