Govt to provide security, facilitate DPC long marchers: Malik

Adviser on Interior Rehman Malik has said that participants of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) long march would be provided security and facilities because they do not belong to the army of an enemy country but are patriotic Pakistanis and have right to register their protest.
However, he warned the members of the banned organisations not to dare enter Islamabad otherwise they would be arrested. Talking to reporters on Sunday after chairing a high-level meeting that finalised the arrangements for DPC march, Malik said the participants would be provided security cover with special CCTVs and four helicopters.
Malik said the DPC was sent a message of dialogue and they informed the government about the route of the long march. He said Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf had issued instructions to facilitate the participants of the march. However, he said if anyone tried to take law in his hands, he would be dealt with according to the law. He said the participants of the march could stay in F-9 park, adding that the traders of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce had announced that they would stop the march but on his request they agreed to close their businesses at 4pm on Monday and disperse at 8pm.
He said there was a security threat all over the country and the enemy remained alert and planned to attack but “our security forces have made plans to foil such threats”.
Malik said a special traffic plan had also been prepared for the participants of the long march to avoid inconvenience to the citizens. He said the long marchers could enter Islamabad through a specific route and register their protest, advising the long marchers to only use Faizabad route to enter Islamabad. He said their march would not be blocked, adding that the Rangers, FC and police personnel would be deployed on the route.
To a question, he said legislation was the work of parliament. He said dual nationality bill had not been brought just for him but it would give the right of vote to overseas Pakistanis. He said he had ended his British nationality for which a certificate had been issued to him by the British government and would not get it again.
To a question, he said NATO supplies had been opened in the national interest. He said the government could have allowed NATO supplies under transit trade but it adopted an honest and transparent way. To a question, the adviser on interior directed the interior secretary to issue a red warrant to bring back former Ehtesab Bureau chairman Saifur Rehman from Qatar.
To another question, Malik said NAB was investigating the Sharif brothers in a money laundering case and after the completion of the investigation, they would have to bid farewell to politics. He said it would be advisable for them to bring back $32 million.
Malik said his political rivals had sent him a message that they would withdraw petitions if he stopped making statements against them. However, he said he had decided to face them.