Typical
Ch Nisar is predictable. It was understood that his press conference would comprise two things: Self-adulation and accusations against his critics in political parties and the media. It is the responsibility of the interior minister to explain the government’s policies related to internal affairs, particularly those related to internal security. Ch Nisar however failed as always to see the elephant in the room. He did not say a word about the formation, tasks and importance of the high level Task Force announced a day earlier to monitor the implementation of NAP.
A section of the speech delivered at the press conference was self-congratulatory. The re-verification of over 30 million CNIC in a short period was supposed to be an impossible task, Ch Nisar observed. He patted himself on the back for performing the Houdini act. The interior minister had taken similar credit for the earlier verification of CNICs. Within months, however, Mullah Akhtar Mansour was found in possession of an un-canceled Pakistani CNIC and passport when killed, causing embarrassment for the country. Is there a guarantee that that this would not happen again? No guarantee, says Ch Nisar. Mistakes of the sort are unavoidable is such colossal tasks.
Ch Nisar hates those who criticise him, the PPP being his major bugbear. He relished targeting the party’s old and young leadership. This of course was his right because he too is not spared by PPP stalwarts. He repeated old charges and added new ones on the basis of information he purportedly possesses. Then suddenly he denounced mutual incrimination asking political opponents to take whatever charges they have to one of the three forums: a commission of two former judges suggested by him, a commission of media persons whose name he proposed or the Supreme Court. Ch Nisar hinted at a section of the media having connections “elsewhere.” If by that he means an enemy country, Ch Nisar would be compromising his credentials as a patriot if he does not take such elements, in case they really exist, to the court.