ISLAMABAD: Rejecting India's claim that Pakistan is sending terrorists into the Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed on Tuesday rejected any possibility of entry of any fighters from the Pakistani side of the border into the IIOJK and termed it a total lie and baseless allegation saying that the Line of Control (LOC) was completely fenced.
Rasheed, while addressing a press conference, said this is an irresponsible statement and showing India's intension to keep Pakistan engaged on multiple fronts, adding that if the Indian home minister should provide if he has any evidence to back such claims.
The minister said all out efforts would be made to ensure fool proof security arrangements during Muharram.
The minister said he will visit all the provinces and has already issued directives to the chief secretaries and the inspector general of police (IGP) to make comprehensive security arrangements during Muharram.
He also appealed to the mourners to strictly follow precautionary measures advised by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) to prevent spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
About suspension of mobile service, he told that we have only suspended cellular service in the merged districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa till 10th Muharram and decision in this connection for other areas will be taken later.
Rasheed said that the Ministry of Interior has placed names of all accused of Noor Mukadam murder case including the parents of the prime suspect Zahir Jaffer on the exit control list (ECL).
Responding to a question about the alleged abduction of the Afghan ambassador's daughter, he said that the Ministry of Interior has provided all evidence to the Afghan investigation team but the envoy's daughter was not cooperating with our investigators.
He said that there was an organised anti-Pakistan campaign being run in the international media to malign the country.
We want peace in Afghanistan and we have nothing to do with the politics in Afghanistan, he said, adding that stability in Afghanistan is important for Pakistan.
The minister said that all borders with Afghanistan, including the Chaman border, were sealed to prevent entry and exit of people even the transportation of fruits and vegetable has been stopped. The minister said all the national identity cards issued before the seven million biometrics were issued, will be renewed.
All officials of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) who found guilty of issuing of fake identity cards will be terminated, he said, adding that it was his desire that the scope of smart Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) is widened and it be used as a driving license and an arm license.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021